THE industrial town of Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State recently played host to an uncommon occurrence but a pleasant surprise.
An expectant mother, Mrs. Chiamaka Ezeudenyi, had started experiencing her labour pains and was rushed to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, to be delivered of her baby.
Though the 32-year-old Mrs. Ezeudenyi who hails from Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state had lost her previous pregnancy, her wish was to have this survive. In the end, she came out of the labour room with an unanticipated but pleasant package. She was delivered of quintuplets. Sadly, one died leaving her with four (two males
and two females).
Interestingly, the woman was admitted to the hospital when the recent doctor’s strike was on-going.
As the mother of four, Mrs. Ezeudenyi was caught between the mixed feelings of the gift of the four surviving out of the five quintuplets and the prospect of raising them. A business man and well known philanthropist, Chief Louis Carter Izuchukwu Onwugbenu’s (Okpata Ozuo Ora Nnewi) visit to the hospital brought her the needed succour. Chief Onwugbenu popularly known and called Louis Carter was celebrating his 61st birthday with children and friends in his house when news of the uncommon birth filtered in.
He excused his friends and quickly left to visit the mother and the new twins at the hospital where he announced the award of automatic scholarship to them up to university level within and outside the country.
Chief Onwungbenu said he was moved by pity and compassion for the poor mother and the kids, moreso, their birth coincided with his 61st birthday. He also picked up the hospital bills. Louis Carter did not stop here.
He equally extended his benevolence to three patients earlier discharged from the hospital but held hostage by the hospital authorities for failure to pay the sum of about four hundred thousand naira being their total bills. Louis Carter also picked up their bills.
The beneficiaries are Uyanwa, Nkechinyere, Ikwuegbe Chizoba and Obi Uchenna.
Chief Onwugbenu said the gesture was to glorify and appreciate God’s abundant blessings on him. In his words Ï was nothing when the hospital was commissioned in 1991. I have every reason to thank God for being exceptionally kind to me. August 15 is my birthday and I want to celebrate with these new set ogf twins who share the same date of birth with me. Since God has endowed me with the means, I have awarded scholarship to the twins and I did this as the spirit directs me to touch the lives of the under-privileged and the physically challenged’’.
Chief Onwugbenu added “I celebrated my birthday with members of the Block Rosary Prayer group at St Louis Catholic church, Uruagu, Nnewi where I advised the children to remain fervent in prayers and worshipping God because I am a living example of what god can do to those who trust and keep faith in Him.
Louis Carter went down memory lane and recalled that what moulded his life was his contact with the early missionaries in Nnewi including Reverend Fathers Louis Kettle (his adopted name) Duncan, Baycon and an indigenous priest, Reverend Father Basil Onwuasomba.
Honesty and fear of God
He urged the children to be tenacious in their religious duties, work hard, be honest and most importantly, have the fear of God in their undertakings so that God will in turn reward them.
In his remard, the deputy chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Dr Joseph Ugboaja who represented the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe said that Mrs Ezeudenyi was admitted to the Hospital when the Doctors strike was still raging. As a result, the few Medical hands and Nurses took it as a challenge until she was delivered of the quintuplets via caesarean..
The beneficiaries were full of appreciation to Chief Louis Onwugbenu and prayed God to continue to bless him abundantly and give him longevity. The set of twins are in the intensive unit of the hospital.
