It was more like a day of reckoning as Mrs. Paulina Lucius, a mother of five, gave birth to the pre-matured quadruplets, on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, at the Rural Hospital in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, bringing the total number of her children to nine.
Reacting to the gripping news, the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakorma, called on government and well-meaning Nigerians to support the family of Mr. Lucius Kanvong, a peasant farmer in Assu-Attakar Village, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, whose wife gave birth to the quadruplets.
Already, some concerned Nigerians have reportedly shown concern and supported the family amongst whom are the Chairman of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr. Kumai Babung, and the Chief of Takab Chiefdom, Mr. Tobias Wada (Agwan Takab 1), that are said to have visited the family to felicitate with them with gift items as well as financial donations.
Although the birth of the quadruplets has continued to attract compliments from well-wishers, Mr. Lucius Kanvong (the father) appears to have received the babies with mixed feelings, in the sense that while he was happy that the wife successfully delivered four babies at a time, the challenge of catering for the children continue to haunt him.
According to Mr. Jerry Bighan, the elder brother to the father of the quadruplets, who is also a staff of the Kaduna State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Lucius has continued to live with the fear of the unknown, having had five children already, explaining that Lucius had confided in him that he was expecting just a baby to make up six children and stop child-bearing but has ended up with nine children, and is worried that as a peasant farmer, he may not be able to cater for the children.
While expressing gratitude to God Almighty for the support given to the family so far, Jerry Bighan further called for more assistance from Government, non-governmental organizations and concerned Nigerians, to enable them cater for the children and bring them up very well, stressing that the father is just a peasant farmer with no meaningfull income.
As at the time of filling this story, the pre-mature quadruplets (two boys and two girls) are in an incubator at the St. Gerald’s Hospital in Kaduna State, while the mother is said to have been discharged from the hospital but still under close observation by the doctors.
Meanwhile, the Management of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has pledged its “widow’s mite,” to support the family towards ensuring that the coming of the children remains a source of blessing to the family rather than cause untold hardship for them.
For those, who are touched by this story and may wish to assist, the family has given the account detail below for such support:
Name: Lucius Kanvong
Acct No: 3068589436
Bank: First Bank.
Caleb Nor
Corporate Affairs