Cleric

When Alhaji Yahaya Imam Nafiu, an Islamic cleric and Missioner of the Ilorin Emirate Development Progressive Union in the Republic of Benin, received the unexpected news that his third wife had given birth to not just one, but 11 babies, he was overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the situation. The news left him feeling jittery, and the reality of the financial strain and responsibility of caring for eleven newborns almost made him run away. In an interview with Tunde Oyekola, he recounts his initial fears and how he tried to come to terms with the overwhelming responsibility

Recently, news broke that your wife gave birth to 11 children. How did you feel when you received the news?

My wife, Chognika Latoyossi Alake, who is a native of Ajasse-Cotonou in Benin Republic, gave birth to 11 children in Porto Novo in two tranches. She first delivered six – five boys and one girl – on July 6 and 7, 2024.

On August 14, she gave birth to another five boys. Unfortunately, one of the girls from the first set passed away about one and a half hours after birth, and we later lost another baby. Currently, we have nine surviving children, and they have all been named.

Were these children her first?

No, they are not her firstborn. Latoyossi is my third wife. I had two wives before marrying her. She was previously married and had three children in her first union. She became pregnant nine years after having her last child. This particular pregnancy lasted for about three and a half years.

I left Ilorin in 2008 for Porto Novo in search of greener pastures. I’m 56 years old while my wife, Latoyossi, is 54 years old.

A normal pregnancy is supposed to last nine months. What did you do when there was an unusual delay?

During that period, she visited hospitals, underwent various medical tests and scans, and had three surgeries. The most surprising thing was that each time doctors attempted to operate on her, the incision would close up again. The last doctor, a white man, said he had never encountered anything like it in his long medical career. The doctors also told us that unseen spirits seemed to be interfering whenever they attempted to operate. After exhausting the options at government and private hospitals in the Benin Republic, we turned to traditional birth attendants.

What do you think caused the extended pregnancy?

I’m not certain about what caused it, as it wasn’t her first pregnancy. As I mentioned before, she had three children from her previous marriage. However, I suspect it might have been due to some malevolent forces. We were all deeply concerned when she couldn’t deliver the babies within the expected timeframe.

Were the children born via caesarean section?

No, they were delivered naturally by their mother. They were born at a traditional birth attendant’s home.

Did the doctors confirm there were babies in her womb?

Yes, medical tests confirmed she was pregnant, but the scans didn’t reveal the number of babies. They only indicated that she was carrying babies.

When you were informed that she delivered 11 babies, what was your reaction?

The 11 babies weren’t delivered all at once; they came in two tranches. When I received the call that my wife had delivered six babies, I was terrified because the news was so shocking. Although I had heard of such things happening in other countries, it was unprecedented in Nigeria or the Benin Republic. Initially, I didn’t believe it. I asked about my wife’s condition, and they assured me she was fine. I wanted to speak with her, but they said it wasn’t possible at that moment. At one point, I considered fleeing because I couldn’t fathom how I would feed eleven children in addition to the others I already had. But eventually, I decided to go and see them, believing that Allah, who gave them to us, would also provide for their needs.

What happened next?

About a week after delivering the six babies, my wife began to complain of stomach pain and had difficulty eating. Despite the traditional birth attendant’s advice not to take her elsewhere, we decided to visit a hospital. The doctor there recommended another scan, which revealed that more babies were still in her womb, though the exact number wasn’t clear. We returned to the traditional birth attendant, who admitted that he had known there were more babies but didn’t want to alarm her. He instructed us to return when she showed signs of labour. When she started experiencing labour pains, we took her back, and she delivered another five boys, one of whom later passed away. The last set of babies are two weeks old and are all healthy.

As an Islamic cleric, how do you describe the birth of 11 children by a single woman?

The birth was nothing short of a miracle from Allah; something no human can fully comprehend. It is an inexplicable wonder (Ise Olorun ni, awamaridi si ni ti enikankan ko le mo).

Are twins common in your family?

No, twins are not common in my family. Only one member of my family has given birth to twins and they are two girls. Since then, no member of my family has had multiple births.

What has it been like feeding the babies?

The first five babies were breastfed by their mother for the first few days, but she soon became overwhelmed, and we had to switch to formula. They consume three containers of formula daily.

How are you coping with this situation?

Although we are not wealthy, we are relying on Allah, who blessed us with these babies. We are appealing to both the Federal and Kwara State governments, as well as to philanthropic individuals in society, to assist us in caring for these gifts from God.

What are your plans for the babies?

Strictly following our tradition in Ilorin, when the babies were born, I informed the Magaji of our compound, who is the head of the family, and other family members. Baba Magaji then informed the Emir of Ilorin about the great gift bestowed upon our family. I came to Ilorin on Tuesday this week, and we visited the Emir, HRM Maimataba Alhaji Sulu-Gambari, on Wednesday to celebrate the blessing of the eleven children. The Emir offered special prayers for the children and the entire family and gave us gifts to help take care of them. We have also informed the governor about the children. However, one significant challenge remains – bringing the children and their mother from Benin Republic to Ilorin so that the Emir and our family can see and pray for them. I don’t have the funds to transport them. Another challenge is that I have not yet performed the necessary traditional rites for my wife, which is also costly. Although we have fulfilled the Islamic requirements for marriage, we still need to complete the traditional ceremonies before she can travel with me to Ilorin. Therefore, I am appealing to philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to come to our aid so that the babies can be well cared for and brought to see my family.