New Year Babies: Oyo Governor’s Wife Advocates Exclusive Breastfeeding

The wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, has appealed to women, especially nursing mothers, to prioritise exclusive breastfeeding for their babies and new borns, saying that has proved to be the best way for children to live healthy lives.

Citing many medical researches and findings to drive home her point, the wife of the Governor said if nursing mothers breastfeed their babies well, they would save themselves the stress of health issues that may arise.

Mrs Makinde said this, on Saturday, while receiving and welcoming the first babies of year 2022 on behalf of the state government.

In all, three babies, two girls and a boy, who were delivered on January 1 and christened ‘New Year Babies’ were received and presented with cash and gift items at two different hospitals owned and managed by the state government.

The first two babies were delivered at the Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, while the third baby was delivered at the Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan.

The first baby, a girl, weighing about 3.3kg was delivered at about 12:04AM; the second, also a girl, weighing about 2:08kg arrived at about 1:15AM; while the third baby, a boy, weighing about 3kg, arrived at about 2:25AM.

The Oyo First Lady, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Kafilat Olayiwola, appealed to parents not to compromise on the proper upbringing of their children, saying the society is better for it when children are properly brought up, with sound home training and that the panacea to addressing societal challenges must begin from the home.

In a chat with journalists after the presentation of the cash and gift items to the first baby of the year, Mrs Makinde said: “These are our first babies of the year and we are glad to receive and welcome them with gifts. We want to appeal to parents and especially mothers to take good care of their children.

“Our parents must give exclusive breastfeeding for the children to grow healthy and free from sickness. Medical researches have proven that children who are well breastfed grow healthier and stronger,” the first lady affirmed.

She expressed happiness that more girl-child being delivered on New Year’s day in the state is an indication that things would get better for the people and government of the state in the new year.

Gift items including food stuffs, noodles, biscuits, provisions, etc, were also presented to children at the Oni and Son Memorial Children’s Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan.

The commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Christiana Abioye, among other top management staff of the ministry.

Emmanuel Ukoh