Authorities
of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, say a 400-level engineering
student, Miss Oyinlola Rotimi, contrary to reports on blog sites did
not attempt to flush her newborn baby boy down the toilet at Moremi Hall
on Wednesday.
Rotimi had caused commotion when she was seen in the toilet with the baby.
But a
statement by the Head, Public Relations Unit, OAU, Mr Abiodun
Olanrewaju, on Thursday, said Rotimi did not attempt to kill her baby,
whom he said was rescued from the water closet of the toilet.
Olanrewaju said the father of the baby is a “400 level Student of Mechanical Engineering, OAU,
Ile-Ife.”
He
said an investigation into the incident showed that Rotimi had no
intention to kill her baby, adding that she was inexperienced about
labour.
The
statement read, “The truth of the matter is that, there was a delivery
of a baby boy by an inexperienced mother who, in her naivety, thought
she was pressed by call of nature while she was actually in labour
pains.
“Prior
to the appearance of the baby, the young, inexperienced mother had
discovered that she was bleeding and went to the toilet only to observe
that something expelled into the water closet.
“It
was at that juncture that she screamed and shouted for help when her
friend, Miss Satope Oladayo, heard her voice and traced her to the
toilet from their room. It was when Satope entered the toilet and found
the baby that she (Satope) called an elderly cleaner for assistance
because the two of them were novices in childbearing.
“As of now, Rotimi’s mother is with her and she has started breastfeeding her baby.
“Upon
interaction, in the presence of the Matron, Mrs. M.G. Oyedele, Oyin
stated that prior to the delivery, she was passing stool and had visited
toilet several times but the last time she went around 7am, she could
not describe how she was feeling.”