Emmanuel Okeh, a native of Igwelede Ohangbo in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, detailed his suffering while looking for a cure for the baby’s ailment. His wife gave birth to a child with a lip and palate cleft.
He described how he was told to feed the infant with the water for three days while soaking his late brother’s garments in Abakaliki, the state capital.
The driver, who is 28 years old, said that he disobeyed the order in favor of taking the infant to the hospital for successful plastic surgery.
He thanked God for the successful surgery and expressed his happiness that his daughter is now just like every other normal child in the world.
He remarked, “I was so thrilled to learn that my wife had delivered a baby that I immediately raced to the hospital with happiness in my heart. However, I was astounded when I first saw my child and began to wonder why my wife had given birth to a child of this type.
“I then considered that it might be my sin, but a nurse approached me and informed me that it was an issue rather than my sin. I questioned her regarding potential causes. She informed me that it was a medication my wife took while she was pregnant but she was at a loss for words. After some time, I gave thanks to God for the delivery’s success.
“After that, we were told to go to the Teaching Hospital in Nenwi, Anambra State, where they could give us excellent instructions on what to do.
“I am a straightforward person, and when people came to visit my wife and the kid, we presented the child to them in this manner, and they immediately began to offer me suggestions on what to do. In fact, some people said that my late brother, who was killed in an accident, was the one who returned with scars.
“I disagreed with them because I didn’t want to hurt my late brother’s feelings, and if it is true that he can come back to life, he should do it in such a way that if I see him, I will be joyful rather than depressed and questioning God.
“Some suggested that we start wearing the clothes that my late brother wore so that my daughter’s lip would fuse together, but I refused.
They claimed that I lack faith and am obstinate, but I responded by saying that I will only have confidence in things that will work.
Some of my acquaintances tried to convince me that the child wasn’t really mine and that it had been changed at the hospital, but I didn’t buy it.
I responded “yes” when others asked if I was the one who caused my wife’s pregnancy.
Some people said that my wife was possessed, but I ignored them since I know my wife.
“I called my mother and told her what had happened; she instructed me to take the youngster to the hamlet. When I refused to bring the baby home as my mother had insisted, she arrived by herself and brought us home.
“I am grateful that my mum and my in-laws are believers. They kept their thoughts to themselves. Instead, they were looking for a fix.
“We were referred to AE-FUTHA by some individuals whose children had similar conditions. The surgeon told us that with help from SMILETRAIN, plastic surgery would be performed without charge, but he advised us to leave and return.
“After everything was said and done, the operation was a success, and my baby is now healthy.
“May God reward SMILETRAIN for making us smile. I had been emotionally, financially, and physically weakened by the condition of my baby. To prevent my wife from having to consider, I no longer go to work. My wife didn’t look like this before giving birth to our daughter, but I thank God that He dried our tears.
“When I told some of them that my baby would be undergoing plastic surgery, they criticized me for being unyielding and claimed that I disregarded their advice to go to the village, bring the items my late brother had been using, soak them in water, and give my baby the treatment for two to three days so that the lip cleft would close.
When I informed them that my daughter’s operation went well and that she was recovering well, some of them expressed disbelief and claimed it couldn’t be real; others said they would believe me once they saw my daughter; and still others thanked God with me.
However, Mr. Emmanuel complimented the non-governmental organization Smile Train for providing and sponsoring the surgery.
