By Ladidi Sabo
When former CNN correspondent Isha Sesay told her story about being pregnant at 46, getting divorced and more, many were amazed at the strength and courage with which she bore her travails.
After marriage in Africa, women with infertility issues bear the brunt of derogatory attitudes meted to them by their husbands, mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and other relatives of the husband. While this is not the case with Sesay, women in Africa grapple with it night and day.
And while the behind-the-scenes story of Hon Jumoke Akindele’s journey to motherhood is not in the public space, welcoming a baby at 54 for the first time is a Woow!
Hon. Akindele, the first woman Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly was delivered of her first baby on Saturday 20th April. She is 54 years old.
The news of Jumoke Akindele’s childbirth and her being alive to hold her baby is indeed cheery after the sad news of 50-year Adenike Adewusi Adewunmi who died with her pregnancy after 20 years of trying to conceive.
Akindele, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, who represented Okitipupa Constituency 1, led the State House of Assembly between May 2014 and March 2017.
Social media went agog when the news of her newborn baby was broken by her friends and political associates. Congratulations are still pouring in.
Some of the posts on the Facebook page of one of her associates, Segun Odidi, says: ‘ What God cannot doesn’t exist. First Female Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly delivered a bouncing baby yesterday (Saturday).
“Her first fruit!! What a cheering news! i’m so happy for you big sis. Congratulations Rt. Hon Jumoke Akindele .”
One of her close associates, Yinka Ogunleye wrote on her Facebook, “BREAKING NEWS!! First Female Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, got delivered of a baby yesterday.
“HER FIRST BABY!! GOD IS INDEED AWESOME!! Congratulations, Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele. My own darling big sister. This is the best news I’ve woken up to in a loooooong while!!”
