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My daughter is a superstar, celebrated by the First Lady – Mrs. Oyigbo
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, welcomed the first baby born in 2025, in a heartwarming traditional ceremony held at Asokoro General Hospital in Abuja, marking a hopeful start to the new year.
Baby Chioma Odion Oyigbo made her entrance into the world at 12:27 AM, weighing a healthy 3.6 kilograms, according to a statement by the First Lady’s media aide, Busola Kukoyi.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, she expressed heartfelt congratulations to the parents of Baby Chioma and emphasised the vital role that health and well-being play in a child’s development. “As parents, it is essential to give your children the attention and care they deserve,” she stated. She also prayed for the health and prosperity of all newborns, urging parents to prioritise their children’s needs.
In a gesture of goodwill, Mrs. Shettima presented Baby Chioma with an array of gifts, including cash support and a hard copy of her birth registration certificate.
Other newborns present at the hospital were also celebrated with gifts, creating an atmosphere of joy and community spirit.
The First Lady’s celebration coincided with her New Year message, in which she reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s economy and fostering national unity. “As we journey through 2025, let us rise above our differences and rebuild the bridges that connect us—bridges of love, respect, and understanding,” she said.
Her message resonated with themes of hope and resilience as the nation looks forward to a new year filled with potential.
Mrs. Tinubu called on Nigerians to invest in one another, nurture the youth, and protect the dignity of elders.
“We must create a country where every Nigerian can thrive, regardless of where they are born, what they believe, or what language they speak,” she emphasised.
The First Lady concluded her message with a rallying cry for unity: “Let us stand together, lifting each other up, and ensuring no one is left behind. Together, we can build the Nigeria we all desire. Together, we will.”
“I am truly overwhelmed. I lack words to express how I feel; I don’t know what to say,” Mrs. Oyigbo shared, reflecting on her journey through pregnancy. She described the early stages as smooth but acknowledged that the final moments were particularly challenging. “It became so tough towards the end, but God saw me through. I am so happy to be here today with my baby,” she added, her eyes filled with gratitude.
The recognition of Baby Chioma as the first baby of the year came as a delightful surprise to Mrs. Oyigbo. “I never thought she would be celebrated as the first baby of the year, but it happened; she is a superstar baby,” she exclaimed. The honour of being celebrated by the First Lady of Nigeria left her feeling blessed and appreciative. “Who am I for the First Lady to celebrate this moment with me? I thank God for this incredible experience,” she said.
Mr. Odion Oyigbo, Chioma’s father, also shared his joy and disbelief at the recognition. “I am very happy to see the First Lady visit my baby. It is not easy, but I’m grateful to God,” he remarked. He recounted his surprise when he returned home to find a crowd gathered at the hospital for the celebration. “I went out for a while, and when I came back, there were people everywhere; they said that the First Lady was coming,” he explained.
Mr. Oyigbo recalled how touched he was when Shettima advised him to take good care of his daughter because she might one day become a First Lady herself. “I will take that advice very seriously because I want to see my baby become a leader in her own right,” he said proudly.
Director-General of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Tellson Ojokun, on his part, emphasised the importance of birth registration during the event celebrating Nigeria’s first baby of 2025. He noted that the presentation of a birth certificate is part of ongoing advocacy efforts to ensure every child is recognised at birth.
“Remember, government is a continuum,” Ojokun stated, referencing the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative aimed at promoting child registration. He highlighted that no mother wishes to give birth to a child who lacks recognition, asserting that every child born in Nigeria has a legal right to be identified and registered.
He explained that the birth certificate serves as a crucial instrument in this process, validating each child’s identity as a Nigerian from the moment of birth.
He restated the NPC’s commitment to enhancing birth registration aligns with broader efforts to improve governance and access to essential services for children, including education and healthcare.
Ojokun: “Remember, government is a continuum. Remember, some time ago, the First Lady talked about the Renewed Hope Initiative for the registration of children. No mother will want to give birth to somebody who is not recognised. It is a legal right that any child born in Nigeria should be identified, registered, and located, and one of the instruments to do that is the birth certificate. So what the First Lady just did is to validate that aspect of it—that baby boy or baby girl, you are recognised as a Nigerian as you are born today.”
Bala Almubaye, a representative of the chairman of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), noted that the e-birth certificate includes the child’s National Identification Number (NIN), streamlining the registration process.
“Since we began this initiative three months ago, we have successfully registered over 10 million children aged zero to five years,” Almubaye reported.
He emphasised that the focus will now shift to registering children under one year, showcasing the NPC’s commitment to improving birth registration rates.
He said the integration of the NIN into the e-birth registration process is designed to enhance data accuracy and provide children with immediate identification at birth. He noted that this initiative not only facilitates access to essential services like education and healthcare but also establishes a reliable database for government planning.
Almubaye said: “First, a birth certificate is a document that identifies that somebody is a Nigerian and the good thing with this e-birth certificate is that it also carries NIN—the National Identity Number of the child, so the child has its NIN at the point of registration. We have been doing this for quite some time now. For the past three months, we have registered over 10 million children aged zero to five years. And this registration is continuous, but henceforth, we will concentrate on the registration of children under one year, and we are making tremendous progress.”
Other representatives of the minister at the event include Princess Jummai Idonijie, Mrs. Hadiza Maina, and others.