THE Nigerian passenger who delivered a baby boy aboard an Emirates Airline (UAE) en route Lagos, Mrs Kafayat Omoshalewa Amusan yesterday narrated her ordeal, saying she delivered her baby before flight attendants could get to her.
In an exclusive telephone interview from her hospital bed in Dubai, Kafayat, a 32-year indigene of Ibeju Lekki in Lagos had desired to come home to have her third baby in Nigeria on or before May 30, but for flight cancellations.
Narrating her Labour experience aboard the Emirates Airline flight evacuating 256 Nigerians from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the banking and finance graduate who left Nigeria seven years ago and mother of two earlier babies said the experience is indescribable.
“I can’t really describe my experience as real labour, but a forced one that can be attributed to a series of stress that I went through a few days before I embarked on the voyage.
“My actual due date was May 30 and my husband and I had agreed for me to come home to deliver our third baby in Lagos. I had resigned my appointment two months earlier and had actually bought a ticket preparatory to return to Nigeria before the lockdown with the grounding of flights worldwide.
Continuing, Kafayat said they were praying for a chance, when stumbled on a Facebook posting apparently by Nigerian authorities asking willing Nigerians to register for possible evacuation to Nigeria and “I jumped to it. In fact, I was one of the first persons to book for the flight because I want to have my baby in Nigeria.
“But surprisingly, I delivered by myself inside the plane even before the flight attendant could get to me. It was a miraculous act that is beyond my imagination,” she narrated.
Asked to explain co-passengers’ reaction, she narrated that she was in the business class with two other passengers beside me who were so scared and surprised and didn’t know what to do.
“Actually, my husband and I decided that I come back to Nigeria to have this baby and stay with our children.
This is our third, the others are in Nigeria with our parents. We have to leave them in Nigeria because my husband and I want them to be familiar and imbibe our culture, morals, and values.
“Most importantly, I needed to be with my kids, I want to feel the joy of motherhood with them coupled with the cost of working, living and training children in Dubai. It’s very expensive raising children here.
“So, I have to resign from my place of work and it was during the process of my documentation that the issue of Covid-19 started and all airlines were stopped from an operation. Immediately I saw the advert that Nigeria embassy will repatriate on Facebook, I quickly filled the form and I was listed among those that will be repatriated.
“We were initially scheduled to leave Dubai on April 26, but unfortunately the flight was cancelled until another opportunity came on Wednesday and I prayed and wished that I get to Lagos before the delivery.
“But when the mild pain started, I thought it was just stomach pain. Honestly, I prayed silently for God to let get to Lagos since the journey was just seven hours,” Kafayat continued.
Asked how she feels that she’s back to Dubai, the mother of three said: “To be sincere I am not happy. I resigned two months ago and started the process of coming back to Nigeria and the Covid-19 issue started, and again I am back in Dubai instead of being in Nigeria with my children.”
When asked about the new baby, she said they are both in excellent condition. “We are pretty fine to the glory of Almighty God. No complication, though we are still in the hospital with the baby still in the nursery section.
“I am so grateful to God and all Nigeria government representatives here in Dubai, especially Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa who called to congratulate me early this morning (Thursday)”
Kafayat has been in UAE for seven years where she has worked in the Alshaya Company as an administrator.
The mother of three has only one advice for Nigerians wishing to come to the Arab nation, saying: “Anyone planning to come to Dubai must make proper arrangement before taking the decision because the Gulf countries are not the same as European countries or America.”
The 32-year old Nigerian who is yet to see her new baby because he’s in the nursery session appealed to the Nigeria government representatives to come to her aid.
“I am in need of help from the Nigerian community in Dubai. They should please come to my aid. I have to process my baby’s documents and other things. I really need their support now,” she pleaded.
