Gbenro Adesina
Joke, the wife of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and her counterpart in Oyo State, Tamunominini, wife of Governor Seyi Makinde have welcomed new babies in their states, showering them with gifts.
Joke, today welcomed the first babies of the year in four state-owned health facilities – Alimosho, Mushin and Orile-Agege General Hospitals and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ayinke House, Ikeja, Lagos.
Baby Amoo, a male who weighed 3kg delivered at exactly 12:01am by Tomilola Amao is the first baby of the year at Mushin General Hospital. Another baby, a male who weighed 4.35kg and delivered at 2:38am by Onumba Foluke is the first baby of the year in Alimosho General Hospital.
Also, baby Ajayi, a girl, who weighed 2.35kg and delivered at 12:01a.m. by Abosede Ajayi is the first baby of the year at Orile-Agege General Hospital.
While the first baby of the year at the LASUTH is baby Adesola-Fagade. The baby who weighed 3.3kg was delivered at 12.21am was born by Adesola-Fagade.
Joke, who was at these hospitals to celebrate the arrival of the new born babies stated that the birth of a child, for most people, symbolises the assurance that our heritage and life force is carried on to the next generation saying that the event was not just to celebrate new life but also to seek opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the people by showing kindness and compassion.
The Lagos first lady called on all residents to continue to support the state government in the fight against COVID-19, stressing that COVID-19 is real and still in the community.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, noted that the first baby of the year remains a symbolic event as it showed that the very first activity of the state government every year was seen to focus on health.
He stressed that state government was committed to reducing Maternal and Child Mortality by implementing various interventions including implementing advocacy, sensitisation campaigns and community dialogues targeted at maternal and child survival.
Speaking at the Alimosho General Hospital Centre, the Medical Director of the facility, Dr. Madewa Adebajo acknowledged the several interventions by the state government in form of recruitment of additional health workers and provision of latest medical equipment to Alimosho General Hospital.
He said that Alimosho General Hospital has now been better positioned to attend to the medical needs of about 50,000 patients, who seek medical care on monthly basis from the facility.
Also in Ibadan, Tamunominini today welcomed the first babies of the year 2021 at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu and Jericho Home, Ibadan.
The third baby, a female, was born at 2:40 a.m. to Ms. Kehinde Oyewunmi at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu.
Tamunominini, who was represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Bolanle Olaniyan, accompanied by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Fausat Sanni and other officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs and social inclusion said the birth of a child was not by chance.
She noted that the birth of a child brings blessing to a society, symbolising the assurance that human heritage and life is preserved to the next generation.
