Wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki on Tuesday visited four hospitals in Benin City to felicitate with babies born on New Year’s Day.
The first port of call for Mrs. Obaseki and her entourage was Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City, where Mrs Ifeoma Uwegbae, who delivered the first baby of the year at 12:46am, weighing 3kg, was presented with special baby items donated by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Mrs Obaseki who also presented gifts to other mothers in the hospital in the spirit of the Yuletide, noted, “these days, the way this world is, young people are against the natural grain that God has created. When I see men like this who fear God and acknowledge him, I am encouraged.”
An elated mother of the first baby of the year, Mrs. Uwegba, said: “I thank the first lady for this rare gesture and show of love, she has really done well, she gave us gifts. Thank you very much, we are indeed grateful and may God continue to bless her and grant her long life and prosperity in Jesus name.”
Mrs. Obaseki extended the love to Faith Frank, a lady who could not pay her hospital bills after delivering a set of twins.
At the Central Hospital in Benin City, the Edo first lady and her team welcomed baby Dominion Eric, who weighed 4kg, born at 7:20am to Mrs Roseline Erick.
She stopped by at the beds of other mothers in the hospital to dole out gifts to them and settled the medical bills of a sickle cell patient.
In her remark, Roseline Eric, the mother of the first baby of the year at Central Hospital, said: “I am the most excited person in the whole world. I did not expect that the first lady will come and visit us, I am still in shock.”
At Faith Mediplex, a private hospital in the state capital, Mrs Obaseki received baby Royalty Evbakhare, who weighed 3.85kg at birth, born at 3:06pm, about an hour before the first lady’s arrival.
Dr David Atiti of Faith Mediplex thanked the governor’s wife “for visiting, and apart from visiting, you actually came with so much gifts like the Biblical three wise men.”
At the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), the governor’s wife was received by the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Darlington Obaseki and other members of staff of the hospital.
She stopped by at the beds of other mothers in the hospital to dole out gifts to them and settled the medical bills of a sickle cell patient.
Presenting baby Godspeed Isiwele, who was delivered at 1:30am, weighing 3.2kg at birth, the CMD thanked the governor’s wife “for finding time to come personally; we were not expecting you, it is a pleasant surprise. On behalf of everybody, we say thank you so much.”
As Mrs Obaseki made her round through the hospital wards, some women, numbering seven, requested her intervention over their unpaid hospital bills, to which she obliged.
One of the women who expressed her gratitude to Mrs Obaseki said: “I feel good, I feel happy. God will bless her for us, she is the last hope I have. Thank you, your Excellency.”
