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CELEBRATING LIFE: Lagos Welcomes First Babies of the Year in three General Hospitals

Published

2 years ago

January 1, 2025

Charles Flames

661 Views

……. As First Lady Reaffirms Commitment to Maternal and Child Health at 2025 Celebration, Lauds Healthcare Workers

First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has today celebrated the arrival of the first babies of 2025 across three general hospitals in the state.

Amid smiles and applause, Baby Olaolu, Twins Osayomi, and Baby Lawal were warmly welcomed as symbols of a promising year ahead.

The celebrations took place at Ikorodu General Hospital, Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, and Isolo General Hospital, where the First Lady joined by the Wife of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat presented gifts to the newborns and their families.

Baby Olaolu, a girl weighing 2.75kg, was the first baby of the year at Ikorodu General Hospital, born at 12:34 a.m.

Twins Osayomi, delivered at Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, included a girl (2.5kg) born at 12:14 a.m. and a boy (2.049kg) at 12:15 a.m.

At Isolo General Hospital, Baby Lawal, a boy weighing 2.7kg, was born at 1:32 a.m.

In her warm address at the events, Dr. Sanwo-Olu highlighted the importance of celebrating new life as a symbol of hope, continuity, and resilience.

“The birth of a child signifies the assurance that our heritage is carried forward to the next generation. It is a moment of communal celebration that unites us in joy and gratitude,” she stated.

The First Lady also reiterated the Lagos State Government’s commitment to advancing maternal and child healthcare.

She commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration for its strides in health infrastructure, including the establishment of the Lagos State Medical University and grassroots health initiatives like the Tuberculosis Ambassadors program.

Dr. Sanwo-Olu used the occasion to appreciate healthcare professionals for their dedication. At Ikorodu General Hospital, she lauded the medical director and staff for their positive attitude and improved service delivery.

Similar commendations were extended to the teams at Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals for their outstanding contributions to patient care.

The First Lady also expressed gratitude to philanthropic organizations, NGOs, and corporate partners for their support.

“Your contributions have significantly boosted our healthcare delivery. I encourage more partnerships to enhance services across the state,” she said.

The Lagos State Government has championed numerous maternal and child health initiatives, including breastfeeding campaigns and the Maternal and Child Health Week.

These efforts, Dr. Sanwo-Olu noted, have significantly improved outcomes for mothers and children.

Reflecting on the broader significance of the day, Dr. Sanwo-Olu encouraged residents to embrace healthy lifestyles and leverage available healthcare programs.

She emphasized the collective responsibility in fostering societal welfare, likening it to the care required for nurturing a newborn.

The celebratory event also served as a platform to recognize the contributions of community leaders, chiefs, and individuals who support healthcare projects. Dr. Sanwo-Olu urged them to sustain their efforts and inspire others to join in.

To the proud parents of the first babies, the First Lady extended heartfelt congratulations. She assured them of Lagos State’s continued support and prayed for the children’s well-being and prosperity.

“May these babies grow into responsible citizens and nation-builders,” she added.

Earlier, in her address at Ikorodu General Hospital, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi expressed her joy and gratitude for witnessing the occasion alongside Her Excellency, Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and other dignitaries.

She congratulated the first baby of the year and emphasized the State’s commitment to reducing maternal, neonatal, and child morbidity and mortality through interventions such as the ILERA EKO health insurance scheme.

Dr. Ogunyemi highlighted the remarkable achievements of Ikorodu General Hospital, including impressive patient statistics from the past year, which underscore the dedication of the healthcare workforce.

She used the opportunity to encourage Lagosians to enroll in the State Health Insurance Scheme to enhance access to affordable and quality healthcare services.

She celebrated the birth of Baby Olaolu, the first baby of the year at Ikorodu General Hospital, and wished her a bright future as a beacon of hope and progress.

Dr. Ogunyemi also called on all parents and citizens to support the State Government’s healthcare initiatives actively, ensuring sustainable quality healthcare delivery across the State.

Speaking at the Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital, Secretary to the State Government, Barr. ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin expressed delight at the celebration of the First Baby of the Year 2025, which featured the delivery of a set of twins.

She commended the Lagos State Government, led by Mr. Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for its unwavering dedication to reducing maternal and child mortality and improving healthcare accessibility across the State.

Barr. Salu-Hundeyin praised the remarkable achievements of Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital, emphasizing the critical role of healthcare workers in achieving exceptional outcomes despite challenges.

She congratulated the parents of the twins and highlighted the importance of enrolling in the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme to guarantee equitable access to healthcare services for all residents.

At the Isolo General Hospital, Chairman, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr. Atinuke Onayiga celebrated the delivery of Baby Damilola Lawal as the first baby of the year, born at 1:32 a.m.

She acknowledged the dedication of healthcare workers at the hospital, whose exceptional efforts led to notable achievements in 2024, including impressive service statistics across various medical units.

Dr. Onayiga lauded the State Government’s leadership and innovative healthcare interventions, which continue to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality rates.

She called on individuals and corporate organizations to collaborate with the State Government to sustain and improve healthcare service delivery for the benefit of Lagosians.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, in his remarks, commended the Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for her steadfast commitment to sustaining the tradition of celebrating the First Baby of the Year.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Ogboye underscored the Ministry of Health’s dedication to achieving milestones in maternal and child healthcare through initiatives such as ILERA EKO and other strategic health interventions.

He congratulated the families of the celebrants and applauded the outstanding healthcare teams across Lagos State for their resilience and dedication.

Dr. Ogboye also reiterated the importance of collective efforts to enroll in the State Health Insurance Scheme, enabling seamless access to healthcare for all.

The First Lady was also joined at the event by the Federal Commissioner representing Lagos State in the National Population Commission (NPC), Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; Female Lagos State Executive Council Members; Members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries; Members of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials; Chairmen of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas and other Top Government Officials.

Related Topics:Featured First Babies First Lady Lagos State

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Police confirm Kogi APC Chairman’s Murder by Bandits

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Published

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August 28, 2026

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•Ishaq Yunusa

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His death has thrown family members, friends and APC supporters into mourning, with calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday.

She said the attack occurred at about 5 p.m. on Thursday when armed assailants emerged from the surrounding bush and opened sporadic fire on motorists.

According to the police, security agencies are intensifying operations in the area, while personnel are combing the surrounding forests in a bid to rescue any abducted victims and track down those responsible for the attack.

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President Tinubu Orders Comprehensive Forensic Audits of MDAs, IPPIS

The exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in Government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited.

Published

14 hours ago

August 28, 2026

OCHEFA

11 Views

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate a comprehensive forensic audit of Federal Government systems.

The audit will include a review of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Federal Government agencies, and their administration and internal controls.

Bayo Onanuga,Special Adviser to the President(Information & Strategy), in a press release on Friday, said that President Tinubu’s directive follows the Federal Executive Council’s resolution on August 19, 2026, in response to findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on “fake agencies”, ghost workers, and other control failures.

The exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in Government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited.

The review will comprise two interconnected components. The first will focus on a forensic audit of Government systems, particularly IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms.

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The exercise will also examine the interfaces between IPPIS and other government platforms, including GIFMIS, Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA, to determine whether fraud resulted from system defects, process failures, inadequate segregation of duties or deliberate circumvention.

The second component of the audit will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

It will establish a definitive inventory of such bodies and verify their legal basis, while examining how entities obtain official recognition, budgetary consideration, correspondence privileges, office facilities and access to government systems.

The exercise will assess governance, procurement, internal-audit, and oversight controls across Government to close systemic weaknesses that could allow irregular entities or persons to access public resources.

President Tinubu directed that the exercise be conducted with the highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.

The audit team will have access to relevant government systems and records. It will collaborate with the ICPC to ensure that the review complements all ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recoveries.

President Tinubu expects the exercise to go beyond identifying individual cases of fraud or administrative failure by strengthening the architecture of Government, closing systemic loopholes, improving data verification and reconciliation, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring that only duly constituted entities and eligible personnel have access to Government resources.

The exercise underscores the President’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, fiscal governance and institutional integrity across the Federal Government.