FIRST Lady of Edo State, Betsy Obaseki, has said that she is a potential and proud mother of children who will come in God’s time.
The wife of the governor of the South-South state’s optimism is coming on the heels of an opprobrious remark by a former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, who described the current governor and his wife as a ‘childless couple’.
The Edo North Senator made the controversial remark while reacting to a statement by Betsy, in which she claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Monday Okpebholo, is still a bachelor and, as such, unfit to govern the state.
However, Senator Oshiomhole in a video he released, said the governor and his wife refused to adopt any child because they did not love children.
“I was shocked yesterday to see Mrs Obaseki, the First Lady, saying that our candidate has no wife. She is the most, I’m sorry that she has to say that, because here is a woman who has no child. Between him and Obaseki, they have no child, they are childless,” he said.
“They are not even ready to adopt. I mean, I don’t blame… anybody should not have a child. But people who have a love for children go to motherless homes and adopt children.
“They have not adopted, they are both in their 60s. So you married, I don’t know whether it’s a contract or whatever it is, but they have no child.”
However, Betsy, while addressing women during a Zoom meeting with Edo women in the diaspora on Saturday in company with Mrs Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, the wife of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, urged childless women not to see themselves as barren but as fruitful, potential, and proud mothers of children that would come in God’s time.
She reminded them that everyone was created by God for a purpose, adding that she had yet to have a child because she had experienced miscarriages, painful stillbirths, and evacuations of babies who died in her womb.
She said, “My words of comfort to you, like myself, who have conceived and experienced miscarriages, painful stillbirths, and evacuations of babies who died in our wombs, is this, ‘You are not barren’.
“I dare to call you fruitful. You and I are potential and proud mothers of children who will come in God’s time. Enjoy the life God has given you.
“Take your mind off your challenge, and before you know it, children will start coming.
“My contributions to society have gone beyond the biological aspect of motherhood. Being fruitful is not limited to childbearing. It is about impacting lives and creating positive change in society.
“There is no point in feeling bad. Women can fulfil God’s purpose in many ways beyond motherhood,” she added.
Ifeyinwa Ighodalo thanked the women for attending the meeting and promised to continue all of Betsy Obaseki’s programmes for women and the girl child in Edo if her husband is elected.
In her welcome address, the founder of the group, Mrs Adesuwa Obasohan, promised to support Asue Ighodalo’s candidacy, just as the group had supported Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Eighteen-Eleven Media