* ‘It’s twins for me’

For two couples, expectation is high as their dream of having children through an initiative that is free is about to be realised.

ELIZABETH Adeyemo and Ibironke Nubi are two of a kind. As far as assisted fertility treatment goes in Nigeria today, these young women own the moment.  Indeed, they and their spouses are the most celebrated couples in the country currently when it comes to matters of  Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) also known as Invitro Fertilisation (IVF). It is not for nothing that the Adeyemo and Nubi couples are the centre of attraction.

To be exact, all eyes are on the couples for no reason other than that they have emerged final winners of the first ever free ART initiative in Nigeria, tagged Expanding Access to Reproductive Treatment (EART).

The EART, being executed in collaboration with Nordica Fertility Clinic, Lagos, is an initiative designed to enable couples challenged by infertility to have their own biological children at virtually no personal cost. Infertility is currently a major public health issue in Nigeria with approximately 25 per cent of all couples experiencing difficulty in achieving a pregnancy.

As beneficiaries of EART, the Adeyemo and Nubi couples will undergo comprehensive, all expenses paid, fertility treatment intervention procedures including full IVF procedures that would enable them have their own children.

Ibironke, in a chat with Sunday Vanguard shortly after she and her husband were announced as one of the winners of the maiden EART, recalled  that her husband and her got the message of their emerging a winner through a text message.

“It was quite exciting. You cannot imagine our joy and response after waiting expectantly for such to come to pass, and to emerge winner out of the thousands who participated is nothing short of cause for joy. We are so overjoyed.” Ibironke, a businesswoman,  said she and her husband  sent in almost 100 text messages during the preliminaries of the nominations in July 2008.

Navigator and businessman

“I saw the advert on Silverbird TV. I just said let me try. Initially I was sceptical. Free IVF in Nigeria? Is it possible? I asked myself, but I made up my mind  to try. I  just began sending texts everyday. I used my phone, my husband’s phone, my immediate elder sister’s phone, my friend’s phone. I was just sending the text messages as directed. I have never won anything in my life, I never even tried. I just decided to try this one and I won. We were not even present at the official EART draws but we watched it on TV and even got text messages.”

Ibironke who turned 34 last July 7 believes their nomination was no accident. “My birthday was in July and I also won in July. It was a birthday gift from God. My husband is a navigator and businessman. The reality of life is that there have always been problems of this sort, from the onset. But thank God for medical technology, things are coming up. The problem has always been there; its only a matter of awareness. People are coming up to enlighten and assist financially.”

On their expectations, the Nubis, who have been married for five years, say they are so positive. “I’m hoping for triplets at once so I can just close my eyes and say no more,” said  Ibironke. “If I had to go through it  all again, I would for the joy. I have had a natural conception before, only the child did not survive, but anything is possible. I could have a baby naturally, it cannot be ruled out.”

Urging couples with challenges of fertility to always have trust and hope with prayer, she remarked: “When you have a problem and you are able to see people to advise you, the psychological interest is there not to talk of the financial. I think having the psychological assistance and advice on its own would have been enough, not to talk of someone setting up a Foundation to give you financial assistance. It is something really good. We know in our hearts that everything is going to turn out beautifully. I’m happy and hope my joy will be complete.”


Elizabeth’s joy is no less. “I feel great and thank God for this wonderful opportunity offered by EART,” she told Sunday Vanguard. The beneficiary, who hails from Ekiti State while her spouse is an indigene of Osun State, said they have been together for 10 years, and legally married for five years. She said it was her husband, a manager with Coca Cola, who showed her the newspaper advert of  EART.

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