BY EVELYN OKONMA
The Wife of the State Governor and founder, 05 initiative, Dame Edith Okowa, yesterday presented gifts and offered prayers for the first baby of year 2022.
The star baby of the year, Miss Edith Marvin Enyosa who weighed 3.7kg at birth, was born at 12:01on January 1, 2022 at the Central hospital, Agbor to the family of Mr and Mrs Marvin Enyosa.
Dame Okowa, who was overwhelmed with joy on seeing the first baby of the year, welcomed her with songs of praises to God.
She said year 2021 was a unique year and that in all, God proved Himself mighty and appreciated God for keeping everyone alive to see the New Year.
She commended the doctors and nurses who conducted her round the maternity ward to see other children who were born on January 1.
The father of the baby, an editor with the Ika Mirror, Comrade Marvin Enyosa expressed appreciation to God for the safe delivery of his third child and the special visit of the governor’s wife, describing it as a life time honour.
Comrade Enyosa, a native of Agbor-Obi in Ika South appreciated the Governor’s wife kind gesture and specifically requested her to name his baby after her.
The mother of the baby, Mrs. Theresa, a graduate of Library Science and a fashion designer, also from Ika South, explained that labour started at about 7:30pm the previous day and lasted till January 1, adding that she never knew God had a pleasant surprise for her even as she lauded the Governor’s wife gesture and prayed God to reward her .
Dame Okowa and members of her entourage later presented gifts including cash to the first baby of the year as well as other children delivered January 1 in the hospital.
In a related development, Dame Okowa was also at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba to offset the bills of nine stranded patients worth N1.36 Million.
She also presented gifts and cash to all babies and mothers in the post surgical, postnatal and the labour Ward.
While commending the FMC management for attending to stranded patients before requesting for payment, the governor’s wife urged them to work towards setting up a trust fund scheme where individuals and groups could contribute to save emergency situations.
In response to the gesture of the governor’s wife, the Chief Medical Director of FMC, Dr. Victor Osiatuma said he received the news of Dame Okowa’s visit to pay the bills with joy having welcomed the first baby of year in Agbor, and applauded her philanthropic gesture towards the needy.
One of the beneficiaries, twenty-seven year old Chinelo Emeka, an indigene of Ebonyi state could not control her emotion on seeing the Governor’s wife.
She said her husband abandoned her after she had her baby boy through caesarean session over a week ago and prayed God to reward Dame Okowa and her family.