For four years, she was known to wander
the street of Badejo Kalesanwo, Oduduwa
Community, in Mushin Local Government
Area Lagos State.

She slept on the road, ate from bins and
went about in tatters.
Some months ago, people saw her with a
protruding belly and dismissed it as fibroid
growth.

However, on the morning of December 25,
2013 the unknown mad woman, who
identified herself to PUNCH Metro as
Amudatulai, a native of Ibadan in Oyo
State, went into labour and self-delivered a
baby girl as residents watched in awe.

Eyewitnesses said she immediately named
the baby girl Mariam Olorundamilare
Odunayo (Olorundamilare, means God has
given me the victory, while Odunayo
means, the year of Joy).
A resident, who identified herself simply as
Mama Adoyo, said Amudatulai delivered
the baby by the dump site situated along the
newly-tarred road.

She said, “I have known her for a long
time. She used to sit and sleep on that road.
When we saw her protruding stomach, we
didn’t know she was pregnant. We thought
it was fibroid. But around 6am on
Wednesday, she was crying and screaming
my name and other people’s names in the
area because we play with her a lot.

“I later moved close to her and when I saw
it was labour pains, I asked her to let us go
to the hospital, but she said no, insisting
that she could see people bathing her baby,
whereas she had not delivered by that time.

“I kept my eyes on her as she was
screaming. Suddenly, the baby came out.
We didn’t know on time, but a driver who
was passing by called our attention that we
should move closer to her because she had
given birth.

“We had to quickly call a nurse who came
to cut the placenta. The nurse later injected
her and cleaned her up.”
Mama Adoyo said one of the community
leaders donated money to assist in buying
some materials, as other people in the
neighbourhood trooped out with old and
new clothes for the mother and child.

A female worker with the Lagos State Waste
Management Authority, Mrs. Modupe
Salami, who cleans the street, told our
correspondent that although Amudatulai
still raved after the delivery of the baby,
she was generally well behaved and could
be rescued with a good medical help.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a man who
claimed to be a brother of the new mother
had been calling some of the residents on
the telephone to keep an eye on
Amudatulai, adding that he would come to
take her back to Ibadan.
The said brother was also said to have
claimed that Amudatulai had three other
children in Ibadan.

A community leader, Alhaji Babatunde
Shittu, appealed for the intervention of
relevant government agencies before an
imposter took advantage of the situation.
Shittu said, “I must say that we all are
concerned as to how she came about the
pregnancy. We don’t even know where she
came from since she came here four years
ago. Government should take care of both
the mother and the child. There is no way
you can compare someone who is sane with
someone who is not. Again, she is homeless
and needs good accommodation. People are
only guessing that her family members are
coming. If this lady has good medical care,
she will be normal.”

Our correspondent observed on Friday that
she was being sheltered along with her baby
in a shop on the street.
The dimly-lit wooden structure had a
mattress and a mosquito net for the new
baby.

Our correspondent also observed as excited
residents gathered round the shelter to
catch a glimpse of the baby and give her
money.

Our correspondent asked Amudatulai how
she felt about her new baby, and the
attention she was getting.
She said, “I am so happy today. I know my
portion is joy in this Lagos. And my joy will
not end…” At this point, she began to rave
and abuse a woman beside her, asking for
papers to show ownership of an unidentified
portion of land.

PUNCH Metro learnt that a man
who
claimed to be a brother of the
new mother
had been calling some of the
residents on
the telephone to keep an eye
on
Amudatulai, adding that he
would come to
take her back to Ibadan.

make dem investigate the man very well, he may likely be the paternal entity and seminal donor of the baby.

Very much surprising how the madwomen without any antenatal treatment give birth with no difficulty but after many antenatal treatment for many sane women, there will still be a difficulty in giving birth.

brother my feet....He might be a ritualist or childless man....make dem watch well well.

subhanallah....glory be to God