By Imanuel Jannah
ABUJA—Parents of one of Nigeria’s New Year’s Baby, John and Ann Efe Emiakpo, never expected to spend their New Year eve in delivery, nor for their little bundle of joy to be one of the first Nigerian babies born in 2017.

The second child of the young couple arrived at exactly 12a.m. at Gwarimpa General Hospital, Life Camp District, Abuja, weighing in at 3.9kg.

“It’s kind of a miracle that everything happened the way it did,” Ann Emiakpo said at the hospital.

“We were just amazed and really thankful that she was really healthy.

“During ante-natal sessions, we were kind of joking around with the nurses, saying it would be great if she was a New Year’s baby. She just waited for that. She’s a blessing to us,” Ann added.

The parents said they were surprised that the family would be appearing on television and in newspapers following a visit by wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, who presented gifts to the baby and other children at the Gwarimpa General Hospital.

The First Lady, who was represented by a Senior Special Adviser to the President, Hajo Sani, while presenting the gift items to the baby of the year, expressed delight.

She said it was her way of extending love and giving a sense of belonging to humanity.

She also went round the paediatric ward of the hospital to visit other babies that were delivered on January 1.

Dr. Theophilus Unachukwu, who delivered Ann Efe Emiakpo of her baby girl through caesarean section, said: “We delivered the mother of her baby at exactly 12a.m.

“She was brought to the hospital around 9p.m. on December 31, 2016 as a referral from a hospital where she has some complications prior to delivery, as she had a CS delivery before.”