Friends and loved ones beat the drums for Mr. Innocent and Mrs. Onyiyechi Ezennia, who had quadruplets after 13 years of marriage thanks to In Vitro Fertility (IVF).
Screams of delight and fervent praises boomed in and out of the hall of the Assemblies of God Church Isolo 1 in the Isolo district of Lagos State during the church dedication of the babies in February.
With harmonized singing, current instrumentals, and excellent jigs and twists, you could sense there was a great force changing the vibe.
It was the first problem for the Ezennia family, who had been waiting for 13 years due to an inexplicable fertility problem.
“God has been merciful to us.” “All glory to God,” he said, quoting First Samuel chapter one verse 27 of the Bible. “We have a God who listens to our requests. “I thank God for not forcing me to deviate,” said Frances Chidi Okeremgbo, the church’s retiring pastor.
Okeremgbo, who served in the ministry for 47 years before retiring, advised the couple to stay strong in their faith and pass it on to their children.
Mr. Ezennia expressed thankfulness to God for his pioneering testimony, saying, “If not for my faith, belief, and understanding, I would have made a mistake.”
“I trusted God, who had promised to give me a child. Even when so many people, including my wife, put pressure on me.”
In an interview, the wife recounted her story and the numerous contradicting advice she received as a result of her childless status.
“We’ve been waiting on the Lord for the past 13 years,” she explained. We married in 2008, so we’ve been waiting on the Lord since then till last year, and it hasn’t been easy.
“God willing, my family and my husband’s family are both Christians.” So the pressure was coming from peer groups and friends rather than them. People would look at you as if you weren’t doing enough or weren’t doing what you were expected to do, as if you could simply open your hands and grab a child.”
She recalled how many recommendations she received from friends, including quarries. “There was a time when someone suggested I follow her to see a prophet, and this prophet will pray for you and you’ll receive a miracle, and sometimes they’ll say let’s go to this vigil, or there’s this doctor or this woman in this state.”
She couldn’t stop thanking God after she had traveled the many pathways she had been introduced to – doctors, prophets, and the use of traditional pharmaceuticals and other drugs.
Onyiyechi, a seamstress, detailed the total naira spent throughout their desperate search for a cure. “We cannot account for the money spent.” We were agitated. The restlessness was intense, especially since we weren’t getting pressure from my mother or mother-in-law, but rather from peer groups and friends.”
Despite the men’s advice and no progress, the pair persisted until they reached their goal – assisted reproduction.
“Yes, I was given the option of pursuing IVF or adoption, among other medical advice.” “However, I chose IVF,” she revealed.
Despite how reassuring IVF can be, the first-time mother said the doctor who treated them said it was only a 40% success rate. That, she said, was far from encouraging. “It wasn’t encouraging, even though we went for it, believing God would see us through.”
With her bundle of joy in her hands and her story on her lips, Onyiyechi comforted other couples who were still waiting. “Don’t give up hope. Continue to press on. Continue to pray because all of these things are still intertwined.
“Today,” she shouted, “I’m very ecstatic; it’s a dream come true.” Beginning with the hospital, because they were in incubators for a while, God has been assisting us financially to meet their requirements.”
