Most women have long since closed the door on being a mother by the time they are 63, but Mrs. Janet Ajibola did not. After being married for more than 40 years and going through a lot of problems, she had not one but two boys without the use of IVF. Saturday PUNCH says that she talks about her amazing trip in this interview.
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Good job. After a long wait, you finally had twin boys.
I didn’t simply have a baby; I had twins. Two boys. I gave them to them on October 3, 2025.
These infants were born when they were 63. Is this your first time?
These are my first kids, however I have been pregnant before. In December, I will turn 63. I came into the world on December 17, 1962.
Now, please tell us a little about yourself.
I used to be a teacher for the Lagos State Ministry of Education. It was a retirement that they chose to do many years ago. Since then, I have been dedicated to ministerial work.
What do you do for a living now?
I am both a midwife and an evangelist. I deliver babies and take care of pregnant women. I go to Christ Apostolic Church.
How long have you been married?
For more than 40 years. In February 2026, my marriage will be 41 years old.
Why didn’t you have a kid till now?
I used to get pregnant, but scans during prenatal checkups would indicate no fetus. I was told that I had fibroids instead. I had surgery to get rid of them at Babcock University Medical Centre in 2009, but they came back.
The same thing happened again in 2013: scans continued revealing no pregnancy or fertilization. We kept praying. People told us to try different things, but we decided to trust God’s promises.
Someone tested me about a year ago and told me I was pregnant, but I never saw her again. Another doctor looked at me earlier this year and gave me some medicine, including immune boosters and regular pregnant medicine, but in higher doses. She also went on trips, so I couldn’t get in touch with her.
Eventually, someone introduced me to a different woman. She checked me and said, “You are carrying two.” She said I was ready to give birth.
I got ready, went there, and with God’s mercy, I gave birth on October 3.
Did you give birth naturally?
Yes, it’s entirely natural.
Are you serious? That’s amazing. Your stomach didn’t stick out much during your pregnancy?
It showed a little, but not enough for anyone to see that I was pregnant right away. Some folks who saw me said hello in a way that made it seem like they knew, but it wasn’t clear.
You didn’t have the usual indicators of pregnancy, then?
I could feel them. That’s why I continued getting scans. I could feel movement, but the scans were giving me different answers.
What did the scans say?
They kept insisting there wasn’t a baby.
Do you know how many times you’ve been pregnant before?
I don’t remember the exact number. There were a lot. I remember one that ended because of fibroids, and there have been a few more after then. We kept putting our faith in God until He kept His word.
Just to be clear, you didn’t have IVF, right?
Not at all. Some people told us to do it, but we said no. We didn’t even have the cash for it. My husband and I had both already retired. Before he retired, he worked for an oil firm. We might have thought about it if it had been at that time. But at this point, we didn’t have the money for IVF, even if we wanted it.
Are they twins that look the same?
Yes, they are the same.
How did you and your spouse deal with not having a child for 41 years of marriage?
We are grateful to God for His grace. God really helped us. And I love my husband because he is a true child of God. He always told me that scan results that were hard to understand shouldn’t take our minds off of God.
He constantly stood on Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
My spouse would add, “We give God the glory if He does it.” If He doesn’t, it won’t change how we believe. That belief kept us going.
People said a lot of things, but we stayed close to God. It wasn’t easy, but God put Christian brothers, sisters, and families around us who helped us. For more than 40 years, there were always kids at our house: kids of relatives, kids of friends, and even kids whose parents we didn’t know. We helped a lot of people who lived with us.
People were startled when they heard we had finally given birth, even our neighbors. They kept asking, “Which kid?” Who had the baby? They thought they were ours because they always saw kids in our house. That made us feel better.
We also had spiritual fathers and ministers of God who prayed with us and cheered us on, telling us that God never fails. There were times when we were both down, but it never happened at the same time. When one person felt weak, the other person cheered them on till they felt better. That’s how we made it through all those years.
How did you deal with problems with your in-laws?
I never met my mother-in-law, but I did know my father-in-law before he died. He was a real man of God. He always told me to trust God and keep on to Him. That was the message he always sent. There were other people with different opinions and attitudes, but that didn’t worry me. What mattered to me was what God had said. I put my attention on that.
Did your personal life effect you since you are a midwife who helps pregnant women?
To be honest, that was a special grace. It never had an effect on my ministry. People in the church didn’t even realize I was waiting for God to give me children.
When I took care of a pregnant woman, I thought about God and what He planned to do in her life. They never thought I was waiting as we prayed with women who were trusting God for the fruit of the womb.
When others told their stories recently, I sometimes felt something in my heart. But I maintained my faith strong and encouraged myself in the Lord. I always thought that the thing that was moving inside me would come out as a child one day. At the time, I didn’t know there were two babies.
I never went up to the altar when there were calls for people who were trusting God for the fruit of the womb. I just quietly hung on to God, knowing that my time will come.
What advice do you have for other ladies who want to get pregnant?
Everyone’s path is different. There are various reasons why it could take longer to get pregnant, and only God knows why.
During my journey, I have come to understand that God desires to manifest His glory. We prayed, and He replied when He was ready. God helped me get through problems that we couldn’t explain. When I eventually gave birth, I realized that He wanted to show that all people were incorrect and take the honor for Himself.
Without a doubt, I can affirm that God is not limited by the laws of nature. He has set a time for everything to happen, and nothing, not even an opponent or a barrier, can stop His plans.
If you’re waiting on God, my counsel is to be patient, even if you don’t understand why the wait is taking so long. We went to hospitals, had a lot of tests, and checked everything from clogged tubes to male fertility, but our desire still seemed to be delayed. But putting things off doesn’t mean saying no.
Women who are waiting on God should keep having faith and hope. The Bible says that those who wait on the Lord will not be ashamed. God will not let you down.
A lot of individuals feel like they have to take shortcuts or do things that aren’t right, yet these roads often lead to difficulty. It is far preferable to trust God’s timing. Some people could make fun of you or even threaten to leave you, but be strong.
I have seen husbands get married again, thinking the problem was with their wives, only to find out that it was something else. Some people give up all hope, but then God steps in.
There is always a reason for a delay, even if you can’t always explain it. It’s a chance to get closer to Him, learn more about His plan, and get ready to give a testimony.
God will eventually prove the enemy wrong if they are the ones who are causing the delay. That’s what I believe and wish for everyone who is waiting.
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