By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE
Like the common saying “all things work together for our good,” so it was for 32-year-old single mother, Mrs. Kikelomo Ilori, who after making several attempts to abort a pregnancy, ended up giving birth to a boy in a Cherubim & Seraphim Church, allegedly clutching a Holy Quran.
Like the common saying “all things work together for our good,” so it was for 32-year-old single mother, Mrs. Kikelomo Ilori, who after making several attempts to abort a pregnancy, ended up giving birth to a boy in a Cherubim & Seraphim Church, allegedly clutching a Holy Quran.
Her words: “I repeatedly tried to abort the baby, but, instead, the baby kept getting stronger by the day, which made me to give up on abortion. Then I started wearing a cross around my waist to protect the baby and myself but the cross kept cutting. When the pregnancy got to its eleventh month, I told my friend, Kenny Ogunlana, about it and she now took me to Morning Star Church (Cherubim & Seraphim) in Ejigbo where I was delivered of the baby.”
Kikelomo, a cosmetologist, said she was delivered of the baby that has now been described by many as a “miracle child” on Monday (7 May, 2012), four days after going to the white garment church. She stressed that she had been warned by a prophet not to terminate the pregnancy while trying to abort it.
The prophet, according her, said the baby in her womb was unique; but she felt it was a way of discouraging her from abortion.
“When I discovered I was pregnant, I wanted to abort the baby. I’m not married. Even in church, I was warned not to go for abortion because the baby is from God. But I still went ahead with the abortion plan.”
The mother of the baby claimed she was abandoned by the man who impregnated her, saying he denied responsibility for the pregnancy and encouraged her to abort it. But after she was delivered of the baby, members of the man’s family have been pleading with Kikelomo and her family to receive him as the father.
When Sunday Vanguard visited where the baby was kept at 1 Shonde Street, Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos, the place had virtually become a tourist centre, with a huge crowd converging to catch a glimpse of the baby. In the crowd were mostly Muslims from different parts of Lagos, chanting “Allahu Akbahu”.
The National Missioner of Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul Raheem Ameen, who led delegates from Kwara State on a visit to the baby, took time to pray for both baby and mother, noting that it was a sign of good things that will soon overtake the country.
An Imam of Ramatu Ishamiya Mosque in Ijeshatedo, Lagos, Alhaji Ashimuyu Omotosho, who was invited to look at the Quran found in the baby’s right hand, said it was the mark of God, adding: “ The amazing thing was that the family of Kikelomo is Christian. It shows that we are one from God, but came into the world to choose and go our separate ways.”
The midwife, Victoria Moses, in her 60s, said she had been in the business of helping mothers deliver babies for long and had seen where babies come into the world holding ropes, but nothing like the latest baby, adding that out of fear she had to ask Kikelomo and her family to leave without paying her.
She said: “I tell you, it was God who delivered that baby. I’ve seen cases where babies come into the world, holding ropes, but nothing like this! I used to help mothers deliver babies. I’ve delivered a lot, but I’ve never seen anything like this. When the mother of the woman came, I showed her the item I found in the right hand of the baby.”
Victoria narrated that one of the mysterious things was that PHCN supplied power just as the baby’s head appeared and interrupted it after she had cleaned up the baby, stressing that it was a symbol that the baby is unique.
Kikelomo’s sister-in-law, Ayomide Akinsoji , narrated what she witnessed during the delivery of the baby. “When the Quran was with the baby, in the baby’s palm, the baby folded his hand in a way that the Quran was not visible. But now, if you put the Quran in the baby’s hand, it is bigger than the baby’s hand because it has become bigger. Maybe as the baby grows, the mini Quran will be getting bigger.”
She noted that the Quran was wrapped in a transparent water proof item. “But, at first glance, it looked like it was wrapped in nylon, which made it difficult for anyone to see. Some Islamic scholars said that the wrapping was to ensure that the mother’s blood did not touch the mini Quran.”
Sunday Vanguard spoke with the grand-mother of the baby, who simply gave her name as Mrs Bola; when asked to give account of what happened, she said: “I just got to the church when my daughter put to bed and I saw the thing (mini Quran) in the baby’s hand shaking. I am surprised about the thing (mini Quran) which was very small but, with time, it started getting big. So we dropped it for the Imam to come and look at it. I am a Christian and the baby will be with me for some time.”
Meanwhile, the boy was on Monday given a Muslim name before a crowd of Lagosians who gathered at 110 Olateju Street (Ogba Solomon Hall), Mushin.
After the Imam of Zakat Sadaqat Foundation, Lagos, Jamiu Tirmdhi Akano, announced that the baby would receive free nursery, primary and secondary education from Tayyibat Group of Schools Gbagada (a day & boarding school), the baby was named “Abdul Wahab Iyanda Ademilola Irawo”.
Akano said when he was informed of the Quran, he conducted a research and found out that, in the world, such Quran is to be five. But there are two already in existence, adding, “And where the volume of the first one ended was where the second one started from, they come in volumes. But what I cannot say is how the thing (Quran) got into the hand of the baby.”
He announced that the brother of the baby’s mother and some members of Kikelomo’s household met with him to disclose their intention to become Muslims. “The baby’s mother is now known as Sherifat, her brother’s name is now Mosiud and Kikelomo’s mother is now known as Rodiat, he added.”
