Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and his wife Toyin Saraki on Wednesday celebrated their twin daughters Ola and Ayo on their 21st birthday.
The girls are the couple’s second set of twins born prematurely after another set of twins born in December 1991 in which one of the children died at birth.
Mrs Saraki who was 27 when her first set of twins were born recalled in an Instagram post the frantic moves taken to save the children’s lives.
“Happy 21st Birthday Ola and Ayo! On this very special day, I thank God for the blessings bestowed to us through Ola and Ayo, our second set of twins.
“I still recall the day God gave you both to us and through the support of the neonatal intensive care nursing team, the day we were able to take you both home.
“Watching you two blossom from tiny little bundles of joy into the great young women that you are today, has been an immense joy and privilege.
“I am so proud of the ladies you are becoming and pray that God continue to be and abide with you, every step of your journey,” she wrote.
Their father also celebrated them on social media.
“Ola and Ayo, happy 21st birthday! Daddy loves you both so much! Have a wonderful day!” he tweeted.
Mrs Saraki’s experience led her to start the Wellbeing Foundation Africa to reduce maternal and child mortality on the continent.
She told Spears in 2019 that she was registered to be delivered of her babies at the Portland in the UK, but was rushed to a Nigerian hospital when she went into labour at 28 weeks.
“The Portland were sending me things like formula milk specially designed for premature babies, and I just thought: ‘There are five other children in intensive care. Don’t all these premature babies deserve a chance at survival too?’
“So I started ordering triple what I needed, and the doctors all remarked on what a difference it was making. The Wellbeing Foundation started from there,” she said.
The former Kwara State first lady is a WHO Africa regional special advisor, and global goodwill ambassador to the International Confederation of Midwives.
