By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
A 44-year-old man, Joseph Ogagbe, has narrated how he almost fled the hospital after his wife gave birth to quintuplets.
The father-of-five shared that he and his wife had visited various traditional and prayer houses in search of the fruit of the womb, having waited eight years after their wedding.
Being unemployed, Mr Ogagbe said he had been pondering how to care for three children—only to discover that his wife had delivered five, a realisation that left him both overjoyed and overwhelmed.
He told Stonix News that the scan had earlier indicated a set of triplets, but they were later surprised to find out that the babies were, in fact, quintuplets—bringing immense joy to their family.
The quintuplets were born in December last year.
He said: “My name is Joseph Ogagbe. I’m from Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, and my wife is from Warri South. We live in Warri. The quintuplets—three boys and two girls—are our first fruits.
“We had been searching for the fruit of the womb for about eight years. We got married in February 2018 and, after the first year, we began to worry because of how long it was taking for my wife to conceive.
“So, during that time, we went from one traditional masseur’s house to another to examine my wife’s womb. She also took a lot of herbs in the process.
“We didn’t go to the hospital for any medical check-up. Eventually, we decided to rest and let God take control.
“Sometime in early 2024, my wife complained of feeling unwell. After taking the necessary medications without improvement, someone advised me to get a pregnancy test strip.
“I bought one and tested her urine—it came out positive. We were so happy. We went to the hospital for a scan, and it confirmed that she was pregnant with triplets.
“We were expecting three babies, but when the delivery happened, they were five. I cried. I was happy and, at the same time, scared. Right there in the hospital, I wanted to run away because I was thinking of how to care for all five babies.
“I walked down to the hospital gate, reflected on everything my wife and I had been through, and turned back. I went back to my wife, cried, and prayed.
“After we were discharged, people began visiting us with gifts, money, and diapers.
“One of the reasons I was scared was because I had no job. I used to work as a crane operator assistant, but currently, I’m unemployed. My wife runs a small provision shop, and that’s what we’re using to manage life.
“I am pleading with kind-hearted Nigerians and the government to help me secure a job. My wife gave birth in December, so the children will be six months old this year. They’re healthy, with no complications.”
Mr Ogagbe also revealed that they were able to secure a new apartment through the assistance of the First Lady of Delta State, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, and the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area.
He further appealed to Nigerians and the government for additional support, particularly in securing employment, which he said would go a long way in helping him take care of his family.
“The state governor’s wife and the Warri South Local Government Chairman teamed up to get us an apartment. But we still need support. If God can bless us with scholarships for the children, we would be truly grateful,” he added.
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