A 56-year-old Islamic cleric, Yahya Nafiu, has confirmed that his wife delivered 11 babies.
Yahya, an Ilorin, Kwara State indigene, said that his wife, Latoyossi Alake, a native of Ajasse-Cotonou, gave birth to the 11 babies in a traditional home in Porto-Novo in the Benin Republic between July 7 and August 14, 2024.
He, however, regretted that two of the 11 children were lost at birth, leaving nine surviving ones.
“Yes, it is true that my wife gave birth to 11 children after a long period of pregnancy. They are eight boys and three girls.
“The babies were delivered in two separate months, July 7 and August 14, at a traditional birth attendant home in Porto-Novo,” Yahya said in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
He lamented that his family is facing financial constraints due to the huge amount of money required to take care of the babies.
“One other major challenge that we are now facing before we could bring the children home to Ilorin to show them to my parents is how to raise money for the marriage rites, as well as medical bill and police report,” he stated
He appealed to both the federal and state governments as well as individuals to come to his aid.
Also, the father’s elder brother, Azakariyau Nafiu, also confirmed the development.
Also reacting, the National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union, Abdulmumini Abdulmalik, confirmed that the father of the children hails from Onikeke Compound, Popo Giwa area of Ilorin.