Legendary Nigerian stand-up comedian Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has recently shared his story of how, at the age of 59, he unexpectedly became a father to triplets.
Ali Baba revealed in an interview with the Leadership Podcast that he and his wife Mary had originally intended to have just one more child preferably a son but their journey resulted in the birth of three sons.
The comic clarified that his wife had always wanted another son, particularly when their kids went on a school trip overseas. Although the couple had pondered adopting more children, they eventually opted to try for another child organically.
To boost their chances, they decided for In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), hoping to fertilize two eggs in hopes of having at least one successful pregnancy.
During the podcast, Ali Baba recounted the conversation that led to their decision. “Madam had always wanted to have a son. She had two daughters, and we talked about it,” he said, adding that he initially resisted the idea, not wanting to resume school runs or attend Parent-Teacher Association meetings at his age.
However, his wife convinced him that they should try for another child. She also reminded him of their commitment to helping others through their charity, the Purple Girl Foundation, which sponsors over 120 children in school. Ali Baba said his wife made a strong case by questioning why they could continue supporting others but hesitate to grow their own family.
The couple eventually decided to fertilize two eggs. To their surprise, one of the eggs split, leading to a pregnancy with triplets. Ali Baba said that his wife and their doctor kept the news of the triplets from him at first, but eventually shared the surprise.
“When God wants to bless you, you don’t know how he will do it,” Ali Baba said. “We were looking for two, but now we have three—three boys.”