PHOTO: Sun News Publishing

Can you believe this? A 37- year old woman says she was delivered of seven children in 12 calendar months. The babies, according to her, were born at one- month interval between May 6, 2010 and April 2, 2011.

If it is true, it is a development beyond the ken of men and at variance with natural processes. And it defies medical explanation. Indeed, it falls into the category of what could be referred to as a miracle.

Naturally, it is appointed unto a woman to carry a pregnancy for a term of nine months or 36 weeks before putting to bed. It could either be a single or multiple births, whereby more than one baby come one after the other within minutes. But in the case of Mrs Precious Ogbonna aka Dr Mummy P, the natural sequence was not followed.

Explaining that she became a baby factory after 12 years of childlessness, she said that she was delivered of her first baby, a girl, in 2009 but it died five days later. Then from May 6, 2010 children began to rush out of her womb within intervals of one month. The last one came on April 2 this year. She added that more children are on the way.

A native of Amaigbo in Nwangele Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State and General Overseer of the Holy Ghost Power Salvation Ministries aka Mercy Centre in Owerri, she got wedded to Mr Donatus Ogbonna of Ngugo in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State on December 19, 1998. For 12 years, she could not conceive but when she did, the most unexpected happened: Babies began to rush out of her womb every other month.

Leaflets announcing that a “great thanksgiving/dedication of her seven wonders of the world” would hold on April 24 (Easter Sunday) at her Church opposite NNPC Mega station along Onitsha / Owerri Road were distributed all about town in large numbers. However, Mummy Pís claims have become enmeshed in controversy. To start with, her husband, Mr Donatus Ogbonna, insists that the man who presented himself to newspaper reporters recently in Lagos as her husband is an impostor.

A Short Message Service (SMS) he sent to our reporter on June 12 reads (unedited): “Pls I hereby debunk my wife’s Sat Vanguard (June11) publication nd de man who impersonated me. I’ve not lived neither been or visited Lagos since 10 yrs ago. Donatus Ogbonna husband.” The hospital where Mummy P claimed to have delivered some of the babies also reacted.

CONFUSED SINGERS MIX GOSPEL WITH SECULAR SONGS – JEHRI (THE PILLAZ ...

The Pillaz has been together for 12 years doing what they know best to do. The group known for Acapafrik, which is its own brand of soul-stirring acapella gospel and inspirational songs, comprises of five members, namely: Jehri, Olumide, Chris, Lawrence and Caleb. Already, its second album, The Reality, is making waves and enjoying a lot of airplay. Jehri Suara spoke to Sunday Sun during the group’s recent visit to this newspaper’s corporate office in Lagos.

How did you guys meet? That is true. But apart from the rules, as a Christian, the Bible frowns on it. So, we are using the Bible as a standard. We know what is expected of us and what is not. Like I said earlier, we started off as teenagers and I am the youngest in the group. There is discipline in the group and we know you have to be in a relationship before getting married, and really, those in relationship are disciplined too.

What are some of your challenges? In the beginning, we had issues with our parents. Some of our parents didn’t accept the fact that we wanted to sing. They all wanted us to round off our secondary school and go to the university. Their fear then was that we might not want to go to the university. I had a situation when I was much younger. I presented my ID card to my father and he threw it away. He didn’t want to accept it because he didn’t want any of his children singing. Also, Olumide’s mother, who is late now, sat on his clothes when we wanted to do a concert. So, we had so many issues. But over the years we have remained steadfast in what we believe. And we all went to the university like our parents wanted. There are some who do gospel music and in their album they mix it with secular song. I think these people are just confused. The reason is that it is better to choose your path and face it. We have decided to choose the path of the Lord and we are sticking to it. The likes of Ron Kenoly and Kirk Franklin chose gospel music and they are known all over the world. The simple fact is that we have had so many gospel artistes changing to secular music. But we have decided to stick to gospel because we know that very soon we will make a mark.

Was there a time you wanted to pull out? I think that is a two in one question. There was never a time I wanted to stop doing music. Of course, we had issues and we just wanted to walk out. But there is one thing about our group. No matter how angry you get nobody has the right to walk out of our meeting, because if you walk out of a meeting you walk out of the group. And for the past 12 years such thing never happened. However, the particular occurrence that shook the group was when our manager misused the money we raised from our first album. At that point everyone actually wanted to leave the group, but we thank God we overcame that period. We realized that sometime when opportunity comes your way it is very good to pray to God for wisdom about it before taking any step.

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