* Says enemies never wanted her to have children
By Tejiri Ebikeme, Francis Sadhete, Faith Avworo
Mrs. Hady Agatemor was born in October 9, 1975. She got married May 1st, 2004 and never had her first child, Raymond Agatemor until October 15, 2009. She carried the pregnancy for fourteen (14) months.
She was pregnant again in 2011. But the baby was never delivered until June 11, 2015.
Soaked in tears of joy, she spoke to our crew of Tejiri Ebikeme, Francis Sadhere and Faith Ovworo on what she went through all these years while waiting for her second child, little Miss Ramona Omoefe Agatemor to be born.
Describing herself as a dedicated Catholic, Mrs. Agatemor said God took her enemies unawares with the successful birth of Ramona. According to her, enemies never wanted her to have children, adding that the Blessed Sacrament was her source of strength in her trying period.
I do not joke with my Rosary, the Edo State born from Imiegba, in Etsako East Local Government Area said, adding that my husband is a God sent to me.
And so, to show the familys gratitude to God, all roads on Sunday, September 6, 2015, led to the St. Theresa Catholic Church, Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State for the dedication of little Ramona to the glory of God.
The dedication ceremony of the baby shut down the Church despite the heavy downpour.
According to our correspondents, family members, business associates, colleagues, well-wishers and host of others streamed to the mass that started at 6:30am.
Canopies were erected in the premises of the Church that was made a full parish February 1, 2015, as a result of the overflow of guests invited for the dedication ceremony, while six pews were also reserved inside the Church for those invited for the occasion.
According to our correspondents also, as a result of the special dedication, no fewer than six priests joined the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Ajogri to celebrate the mass.
The homilist, Fr. Happy Amure, enjoined worshipers to trust only in the Lord always.
He said; Everyday people are dying like flies but that is not our portion. I visited a friend of mine the other day in a hospital and he said to me he sees people being deposited in the mortuary everyday in the hospital, but that is not our portion. I pray unto you today that the God of hopeless cases will locate you in Jesus name.
Later, all roads led to the residence of Sir & Lady John Ajiri Agatemor for a lavished reception.
Sir Agatemor and his wife, while speaking at the reception venue expressed gratitude to God for what He did in their family, just as they also expressed appreciation to all and sundry for sharing in their joy.
Lady Hady Agatemor in an interview told our correspondents that; I have been married for eleven years. I got married to Mr. John Ajiri Agatemor in 2004. I gave birth to our first child, Master Raymond Agatemor five years after our marriage.
Excerpts from the interview:
What happened, why did it take that long to have your first son?
Initially we felt it was a biological problem. After the first, second years of marriage we were going from one hospital to another trying to seek medical advice but they always tell us that everything is fine. We were not getting the desired result, so we turned to our God to take charge of the all situation and we got to know that it was more of a spiritual thing than medical and God fought for us. So after 5 years, like I said before, Raymond came in and it was not that easy even with Raymond pregnancy it was beyond the medical comprehension because I carried the pregnancy for 14 months. Initially I will go to the hospital and they will say there is nothing in my stomach, but the Lord was assuring me that I was pregnant. So after everything with the faith I have in God I just have to stick to the word of God that says there is nothing impossible with God with faith it came to materialize.
How did you feel at that time?
I felt that I was on top of the world because from the expectation, it was as if I could never bear a child, but with God coming in, everything went well and in the Africa context it was even a boy. I felt so happy, there was a lot of celebration, jubilation all through I did trusted God.
How long did it take you to have another baby?
I felt the yoke has broken after my first child. Precisely 2011, after Raymond was born I started having the feeling of pregnancy and actually the stomach was bulging when Raymond was about 2 years then. So I went to my doctor to run comprehensive tests and he said there was no sign of pregnancy. I still remembered vividly when Raymond was celebrating his 2 years birthday my stomach has already bulged out, but if I go for scan my doctor will say nothing was there. He sometimes complained that I am getting too fat that maybe I do eat much. I do feel movement inside of me, my friends and people around me will be asking Are you sure you are pregnant? So 2012 rolled out and we entered 2013, I was like is it going to take the form of Raymonds case?. Again the year was going but nothing seems to happened all this time I was still seeing my monthly period. I visited the Blessed Sacrament everyday and he keeps on assuring me with those words ‘do not be afraid’. I have many questions to ask God I don’t know, but I will ask for that childlike faith you know whatever thing you tell a child the child will accept.
I was now begging God to give me that faith because I know God cannot deceive me though it wasnt easy, the human part will still come up. Time was rolling to 2 years I know many people have questions; but is only few that were bold will come to me and say what is happening and I will say let us just wait on the Lord He has the final say.
2013 was rolling out, I was really agitated anyway because at that point the stomach started coming down again and I asked God of His plan for me? The world is watching, they are asking me the God I serve. I am a Catholic, people invited me to other churches I have always been this firm with my faith that if he cannot hear me here, then he cannot hear me anywhere.
I sticked to the Blessed Sacrament and also the prayer of the Rosary, also the Blessed Virgin Mary she was solidly behind me. I kept on begging her for I know that she interceded on behalf of a couple at Canaan in Galilee. Actually, Mother Mary was very much in-charge of my case; she interceded for me during the course of the prayer. We also heard from those that were manipulating the pregnancy- saying that the Rosary is a very strong weapon against them, they never wanted me to get pregnant again but I still took in and they were making every effort to see that it does not come to limelight. They even wanted the child dead but the prayer of the Rosary kept the child alive. I kept on in the faith and still held on.
By now, 2013 rolled into 2014 and the year 2014 was running out again a lot of manipulations were being carried out; trying to destroy me and the child I had before, but God stood by me and the Blessed Sacrament was my source of strength, the words he always used for me Do not be afraid and He now gave me this consoling words that I should hold on. I believed God cannot lie. I was now asking for the grace to hold on because I know He will bring to completion what He has started. Even in 2014, I still went for a scan, I had a case of fibroid before I had Raymond so I was still thinking maybe it’s fibroid so I went for scan yet there was no fibroid or anything else that the womb was intact and in fact, my system was ok. Actually, I went to do it for those that were asking questions. I have decided in my mind that it was more of a spiritual thing than the medical thing; I kept on holding on to God. Like that, 2014 came and went again and we came into 2015. I will stand before the mirror and say God since I am still like this maybe You want it this way; You have given me Your word and I know You will bring it to fulfillment, but He still keep on assuring me saying Hady hold on he used to spell out the words and I heard them within me and so I held on.
I was no longer taking anything, no medicine not even the traditional one because at the initial stage I used to take the normal drug for pregnant women but from 2014 down I just let those things be, I said to myself if a child is being preserved God will help me feed the child.
In April 2015, I met a sister who has been with me all through and she told me of some persons that I can meet, that she believes the pregnancy is due and should come down, but before now I have not even given to anybody at all no matter what they will tell me, I will just say thank you don’t worry but this time my spirit just took to what she said and I accepted. I met them, they checked me and told me that if I want to put to bed today I can, but funny enough I was still seeing my monthly period. Why I am saying this is because for Raymonds case it was like that for some few months but after some time I stopped bleeding though I had him through CS. So, for this very case now I was still hoping maybe it will stop like every normal pregnancy and the child will begin to form normally but to my greatest surprise they told me that I will give birth, so I gave it a try by taking the treatments and God was still assuring me to hold on and behold on the 11th of June 2015 I was very surprised when the baby was delivered; it was like a dream and I didnt know what to say, I felt God has done great things for me before, but with this, in fact, it was more than a miracle; the Lord took everybody unaware. Even my enemies that said they never wanted me to reap the fruit of my marriage the Lord surprised them all. He worked his miracle again in my life, it was a safe and normal delivery within few minutes the child was out after I went into labour. So it was a thing of great joy, at this point I want to say it wasnt really easy but with the persons I had around me most especially my priest friends, they encouraged me to never give up and I know they were saying masses for me daily and it was a thing of great joy at the end when God proved Himself Almighty, the Wisest of all and the One who can do what man cannot do.
Was your husband the understanding type?
My husband has really been there for me all these times, sometime I sit and I think about him and indeed he is a God sent to me because even before I got married to him I was having the issue of fibroid, yet he went ahead to marry me, he has really been the understanding type, always encouraging me even at my low moment when I was down, though that human part will still be there and sometimes he will tell me at least Raymond is here in order to encourage me. He was really there by my side, he gave me every necessary room to bring this very miracle that God worked for us.
So what is your message to people facing similar challenges out there?
I want to encourage every couple. I pray for couples every day, I have been there so I know what it is, especially this issue of child bearing. A lot of things happen and they are not just physical things; there is more of spiritual in most situation, sometimes that is why when you see some couples go for treatment they will tell them nothing is wrong and sometime maybe God has decided they should wait. I am also encouraging them they should wait on God because He never disappoint and that they should also have faith, not dancing here and there. If you have your confidence in God he will never fail you, it may tarry for a while but for the appointed time it will definitely come to pass. Prayers and togetherness go a long way in a marriage.
You said the blessed sacrament was your source of strength and joy, at any time were you trying to give up?
Yes at several occasions, that is why I will still say it is my source of strength because like a daily thing we are all human beings and of course the pain will still come up, sometimes, I will sit and say to God, how can you be looking at me because the doctor has said severally to me come and flush the pregnancy and I will say if God is really there why will he be looking at me suffering and letting my enemies laugh at me because it was really delayed, 9 months running into years. There were many times I felt embarrassed especially when the pregnancy was now going down I looked at myself and said could it be I was trying to forge things or trying to deceive the world? I will tell God please vindicate me.
I am a civil servant. Sometimes as I go to the office my colleagues will be talking about me it was after I have given birth they were now telling me those things they were saying concerning the pregnancy but I thank God for everything.
How do you feel seeing your baby?
Whenever I look at the baby tears of joy will flows from my eyes, like the native name I gave my child Igholieshi which means love of God, I cannot fathom the love he has showered on me I don’t think I am the best prayer warrior, I only say my Rosary which I dont joke with. I just see that Gods best, grace and love. I dont know how to appreciate him when he did Raymonds, I thought it was, in fact, a very big thing but for this one I dont even know what to say, it is indeed a miracle.
So what is your final word?
I have this to say to every Catholic, we have a treasure that we dont value, the Rosary, the Blessed Sacrament like I always tell myself if Jesus cannot do it then nobody can but with Mother Mary let us embrace these two things and no matter what the challenges we will always overcome.
