For 39 years, a Nigerian couple prayed and hoped fervently for a child of their own.

The wife, 67, went from one hospital to another in Nigeria and India to have the fruit of the womb.

The couple consulted doctor after doctor.

They went through various tests and procedures.

But they refused to give up.

Yesterday, Mr Samuel Olu Otunbusin, a professor and his wife Ajibola got their hearts’ desire: a baby at last.

And a boy, too.

Mrs. Otunbusin delivered at Atoke Medical Centre, Abeokuta, making her the latest in a long line of women who have benefited from In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

The new father and mother were beside themselves with joy yesterday soon after the baby arrived.

Otunbushin said the baby’s arrival was the fulfilment of a revelation he had 35 years ago.

“God revealed to me 35 years ago about the birth of my son Oluwatobi,” he said, as he savoured the moment.

Ajibola narrated how her efforts to have a child took her to various specialist hospitals in Nigeria and India.

“This might be hard to believe but I am 67 years old and I have been married for over 39 years. I have done several IVFs both in India and in Nigeria that failed.

“At several points, I had said to myself: ‘So I will die without a child of my own?’

“But I never gave up on God. I held on to the belief that at the appointed time, God would remember me. And my husband kept encouraging me.

“In 2018, I was directed to St. Ives Fertility Centre by the Holy Spirit. I started the procedure with joy and I ended it with joy from above.”

She advised other women who are encountering challenges with childbearing not to lose hope.

She urged them to remain positive and try all medical methods while also looking up to God for the fruit of the womb.

The medical team was led by the Head of IVF unit, Mr Babatunde Okewale.

A 72 year old Indian woman Daljinder Kaur and her husband had a son in April, 2015, through IVF after trying unsuccessfully for 46 years to have a baby without medical help.

She is thought to be the world’s oldest mother.

Mrs. Otunbusin may be the oldest mum in Nigeria.

The Nation