Betsy Obaseki Fires Back at Oshiomhole: ‘Fruitfulness Isn’t Just About Childbearing,’ Inspires Childless Women to See Themselves as Future Mothers

In apparent response to the sneer comment by the immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, in which he gloated over her situation of childlessness, Betsy Obaseki, wife of outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Saturday encouraged women like her who had faced the pain of miscarriages and stillbirths, to see themselves as “potential and proud mothers of children that will come in God’s time”, and not to feel discouraged or defined by their losses.

Recall that in reacting to a comment by Mrs. Obaseki at Ubiaja when she was introducing the wife of the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo at the launch of the party’s campaign in Esan South-East local government area of the state, to the effect that of all the governorship candidates in the race, only her party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, had a wife, Oshiomhole had, in defence of his All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, fired back, saying that Betsy and her husband were childless, and they refused to adopt because they had no love for children.

Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo North senatorial district at the National Assembly, had told journalists: “I was shocked yesterday to see Mrs. Obaseki, the first lady, saying our candidate has no wife. I’m sorry she had to say that because here is a woman who has no child. Between him (sic) and Obaseki, they are childless. They are not even ready to adopt.

“I don’t blame anybody who doesn’t have a child, but people who have love for children go to a motherless home and adopt. They have not adopted. They are both in their sixties.

“Our candidate not only has children, but he has also invested in the education of those children, such that the first one who spoke (at a campaign rally) is a lawyer, and the second is a medical doctor. They addressed the crowd in Edo South, Edo Central, and North, and their mother was there”. Severe backlash had trailed his outburst.

However, speaking out for the first time since the September 1 outburst by Oshiomhole, Mrs. Obaseki urged childless women to see themselves not as barren, but fruitful, potential, and proud mothers of children that would come in God’s time.

Obaseki, accompanied by Mrs. Ighodalo, spoke during a zoom meeting with Edo women in the Diaspora. Addressing over 200 women from various countries who joined the zoom meeting, Obaseki reminded them that everyone was created by God for a purpose.

According to the first lady, “My words of comfort to you, like myself, who had conceived and experienced miscarriages, painful stillbirths, and evacuations of babies who died in our wombs, and as a result, have no children to show for the pain we have endured, is this: You are not barren.

“I dare to call you fruitful. You and I are potential and proud mothers of children that will come in God’s time. Enjoy the life God has given you. Take your mind off your challenge, and before you know it, children will start coming”.

Positing that her contributions to society have gone beyond the biological aspect of motherhood, Mrs. Obaseki emphasised that “Being fruitful is not limited to childbearing. It is about impacting lives and creating positive change in society. There is no point in feeling bad. Women can fulfill God’s purpose in many ways beyond motherhood”.

Also speaking, Mrs. Ighodalo thanked the women for attending the meeting and promised to continue all of Betsy Obaseki’s programmes for women and the girl child in Edo if her husband was elected.

In her welcome address, the founder of the group, Mrs. Adesuwa Obasohan, promised to support Asue Ighodalo’s candidacy, just as the group had supported Governor Godwin Obaseki.