The arrival of a new-born baby should ordinarily be cheery news to the couple involved and their relations. The arrival of three in one fell swoop to a family long denied the fruit of the womb would most certainly engender rapturous joy even in the neighbourhood. Well, not quite for 26-year-old Hajiya Zainab Sirajo and her estranged husband, Mallam Kabir Yusuf, who are currently at loggerheads following the recent birth of their triplets. ISAIAH BENJAMIN reports.
Hajiya Zainab Sirajo’s predicament is rather pathetic. Already a mother of three from another husband until she got married to the father of her triplets,a sober Zainab narrated her ordeal to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND at the Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital at Tudun Wada where one of her triplets was receiving treatment.
Zainab stated that the father of her new born babies was aware that she was going to be delivered of the three babies after he saw her scan test. Prior to her delivery, she said Yusuf did not give any inkling that he was unhappy with the expected triplet.
However, Zainab alleged that after she put to bed, Yusuf began to throw tantrums and started to maltreat her, including failing to provide for her needs. She lamented that she never knew the triplet’s birth would break her marriage.
She said: “My husband was married before but had no issues before we got married. He was not with any woman when I met him. We got married happily and have been living together before he started maltreating me. He got me pregnant and I was delivered of triplet, two male and a female.
“Two days after I was discharged from the hospital, we went back home where my husband beat me mercilessly and thereafter gave me a divorce (Saki Daya), meaning first divorce, for giving birth to triplets.
Zainab said she had left her matrimonial home for her parent’s house where she was until one of the triplets took ill and had to be hospitalised.
She stated that when she told neighbours about her ordeal, her husband’s brothers came to the hospital and rained all sorts of insults on her, threatening to deal with her if she continued to tell anyone that she was divorced for giving birth to triplet.
Zainab also alleged that her husband abandoned her and the triplets in the hospital, which allegation the hospital’s management confirmed.
The hospital told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND that Zainab’s case was being handled by social workers, with a view to getting the relevant ministry or government agencies to assist her and the babies.
The matron in charge of paediatrics at the hospital, Mrs Ajiyana Ramatu, said the triplet received incubatory care before they were discharged. They were returned to the hospital when one of them fell sick. She confirmed that some of? Zainab’s in-laws came to the hospital wanting to take away the triplets but were rebuffed.
But Yusuf debunked the allegation that he divorced Zainab because she gave birth to the triplets, saying he opted out of the marriage on grounds of her indiscipline and disrespect to his mother.
An angry Yusuf alleged that his former wife had simply connived with the media to tarnish his image.
He said: “I was surprised when my attention was drawn to a programme DITV and some articles in newspapers that I divorced my wife because she gave birth to triplet. This to me is an insult because God gave me those children and so why should I maltreat them by divorcing her?”
Explaining further, he said:“This issue of me divorcing her happened four months ago but the way and manner the media reported it, was as if it happened yesterday. She lied against me because that is her habit.
“It doesn’t make any sense for one to divorce his wife because she gave birth to triplets. In fact, I know most people who know me know that ever since I sent her packing I always provide for her and the kids. I bought all the drugs prescribed for her at the hospital. But still she kept tarnishing my image. I leave everything to God.” he said.
Yusuf also denied ever beating Zainab as alleged, saying: “God knows I did not beat her. Instead, she was even the person that held my clothes and started beating me alongside my landlord. I couldn’t retaliate because of her condition and the old man because of his age.
Yusuf explained that on Zainab’s due date, his mother and his younger sister took her to Dantsoho hospital where she spent days before finally put to bed.
He stated: “She accused my mother and I of abandoning her, forgetting that on the day she went into labour we were the same people that took her to the hospital. For the period she stayed in the hospital none of her parents or relations came to stay with her; only my mother, whom she always disrespects, was there for her,”
According to Yusuf, things began to go sour between him and Zainabwhen she refused to go and stay with his mother as their culture demands.
His words: “My mother asked her to come and stay with her so that she would take good care of her. You know as a mother who just delivered, she needs certain special care.But she refused the offer for reasons best known to her. In fact, she even went further to insult my mother.”
Yusuf argued: “I am very sure that if what these people have been saying about me was true they would have charged me to court. But since it was all lies they resort to the media and the media failed to balance their story from my family or myself before going to press. This is why I feel she has connived with the media to insult me.”
Laying into Zainab, Yusuf said:? “That person is a greedy woman because ever since she left my house, I was told that she visits people’s houses begging for charity. This is something I know and she cannot deny it. She is just after what the public will donate to her and that is why she is busy telling lies about me so that she will get the sympathy of the public. For me I don’t care whether she gets the sympathy or not. But I will continue to provide for my kids.”