A public servant, Umeh Cyril, has appealed to Ebonyi State Government, corporate organisations, philanthropists and well-meaning individuals for assistance after welcoming a set of quadruplets.
Cyril, who thanked God for the gift of four children at once, regretted that his joy and blessings were laced with sorrow by the death of his wife a few days after delivery of the babies.
He pleaded for support from all and sundry to meet up with the needs of the quadruplets, his three other children and burial of his 43 years old dead wife, Eucharia.
Narrating his ordeal, the father of seven noted that the wife died of a blood clot despite corrective surgery carried out on her.
“My wife died after undergoing surgery to deliver a set of quadruplets. On September 26, she came for usual antenatal; the doctor noticed the need for bed rest and placed her on bed rest till Sunday. Following some observed complications, the doctors advised she undergo surgery to bring out the four babies since they are up to seven months in the womb. So on September 30, she delivered two boys and two girls successfully. This brought us and our well-wishers great joy and fulfillment because before now, I had only one surviving male child and two girls. I had three boys but two died unimaginably leaving me with one. I lost my first son in 2006, lost another in 2018, which was the reason she sought for more.
“Unfortunately that joy was short-lived because two days after that, on October 2, 2024, she died of complications following alleged blood clots despite corrective surgery. It is a very sorrowful situation, as it stands now, I am devastated. She is gone, leaving me with a set of quadruplets in the incubator; the stress and worry is too much on me. I am finding it difficult to manage the whole situation, my other children and even confused on how to organise the burial ceremony of my wife financially.
“So, I am pleading that the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, his amiable wife and other good spirited individuals should please come to my aid. The situation now is what I can’t handle alone. The governor has been a good and caring father to all, please extend your benevolence to my family in this trying moment. I appeal that you relieve me of these big burdens.
“It is a complicated situation; my first daughter is in University, the second just got University admission while my son is in secondary school. I have been battling with all these before the arrival of the set of quadruplets and subsequent death of my wife. Had it been my wife was still alive, we would have thought out how to co- manage the situation with joy. But now, even the strength to think and work is lacking. I am getting down every day. I am also the bread winner of my extended family.
“Before her death at the age of 43 years, she was a Registrar in Customary Court of Appeal Abakaliki (outstation). I am just controlling myself not to ask God questions. Because to me, I feel if He has given us this type of special blessing which we are grateful for, then He should have allowed my wife to take care of the children,” he lamented.
The dead woman’s niece, Mrs. Linda Ezeakunne, a nursing mother who supplies breast milk for the quadruplets in the incubator was not left out in the appeal for support to the family.
