In several states across the country, especially in urban centres, roadside births and unplanned deliveries by women take place amid delayed emergencies, and the indifferent gaze of bystanders, who choose their camera phones over compassion, writes VICTOR AYENI
Most Saturdays in Lagos are characterised by a familiar rhythm of crowded streets, honking vehicles, and commuters intent on their daily pursuits.
But along the usually busy Ojota axis, that routine was abruptly broken when an emotive scene unfolded, drawing many passers-by and stirring deep emotions among thousands of Nigerians.
On December 6, Emmanuel Enya, a motorcyclist who had travelled from Ilorin, Kwara State, to Lagos for two job interviews, was caught in traffic along Ojota towards Maryland when he noticed a woman glaring at him with eyes that silently cried for help.
Gripped by his humanistic instincts, Enya parked his bike and walked over to the woman who, though barely coherent, kept mentioning “Ikorodu General Hospital”, a journey that would take between 40 minutes and an hour from Maryland.
“She is a mad woman,” one of the men in the area cautioned the biker. But the woman, engulfed in pain, fell to her knees and clung to the legs of the Cross River indigene in an unspoken plea for help.
When the woman lifted the gown she wore, revealing her protruding tummy, it became clear to Enya that she was heavily pregnant and in active labour.
“I tried calling an e-hailing cab, but it kept saying the driver was on the way. So, I asked the guy beside me how much it would take to get a commercial bus (danfo) to Ikorodu, and he told me N5,000. I gave him the money to bring the danfo, but the guy ran away with it,” Enya told Saturday PUNCH.
Shocked and unsure of what else to do to help the woman, Enya said he turned around to ask for assistance, only to find that the people gathered at the scene were busy whipping out their phones to record the unfolding events.
“After about 25 minutes, an emergency responder took my call and promised to come to help us. While we were waiting, the woman sat on the ground and held on to my leg. A well-dressed man carrying a laptop bag was walking down the street, and I asked him to help me.
“I told him I wanted to buy baby start-up items like powder, clothing and lotion because I saw that the woman was holding on to trash. I intended to give the items to the ambulance so she would have them when she was safely delivered. The man collected the N100,000 I gave him, and I never saw him again. He also ran away with my money,” he recounted.
He said that during this period, while the woman was in distress, three ambulances, two owned by private hospitals and one by the state government, passed by but refused to stop.
With no medical help in sight and no indication that any would arrive soon, the biker hurriedly checked the woman’s pulse and observed that it was faint, apparently due to loss of fluid.
Enya called out to a young man standing nearby and gave him N6,000 from his pocket, instructing him to buy a carbonated drink and gin.
“She opened her legs, and I saw small hair in between. I could tell it was the baby’s. As soon as I finished washing my hands, I spoke into the woman’s ears and prayed. I said, ‘God, El Roi, this woman will not die. The mother and child will be alive.’
“I felt three things: the baby’s leg and hand, but something was tied to the leg. I was able to draw the baby out. At that point, the woman didn’t push. When I brought out the baby, he was pink; it was then that I broke down and cried,” Enya recounted.
Born lifeless, resuscitated by biker
When Enya helped the woman deliver her baby, he noticed that the newborn was not moving or kicking and that the umbilical cord was wrapped around its neck.
“I was calling for help, asking somebody to come and help me hold the baby so I could untie the umbilical cord and see if I could sever it and separate it from the placenta. There was nobody,” Enya said, his voice tinged with disappointment.
In a video viewed by Saturday PUNCH, Enya could be seen holding the newborn in his hands, crying out to onlookers standing at a distance to come to his aid.
“Na only me dey here. People just dey pass by. What kind of world be this?” the biker could be heard saying in Pidgin English.
Even after Enya succeeded in unwrapping the umbilical cord from around the baby’s neck, the child remained pink and, more troubling, was not breathing.
“My body was covered with faeces and urine, and I had to pray before I did CPR. The reason I did CPR was that the baby was pink, and I continued until the baby opened his eyes and smiled,” Enya told Saturday PUNCH.
In his interview with BBC News Pidgin, he recounted, “I used my small finger to do a little CPR and performed eight chest compressions. I gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I did it again and again.
“On the third compression, as I blew air into him, the baby opened his eyes and smiled. That was the first time in my life that God answered my prayer instantly.”
In another clip seen by Saturday PUNCH on Facebook, Enya could be seen on his knees beside the woman, clutching the newborn’s limp body, his face contorted with anguish.
His voice broke as he cried out, looked around and said, “Somebody help me… please, somebody help me!”
A young man and a woman later stepped forward and gently took the baby from him.
Overwhelmed, Enya collapsed onto the tarred road with a heart-rending wail. Another young man rushed to lift him, commending his bravery and offering consolation.
The woman held the baby and could be heard telling someone in the background to bring a blade to cut the umbilical cord.
Late response
Saturday PUNCH gathered that emergency responders later arrived and took the mother and child for medical care.
“It was when the woman regained consciousness and wanted to breastfeed the baby that their ambulance arrived,” Enya disclosed.
In a now-deleted post by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on X on December 14, Enya criticised the late response of the ambulance service.
“I called 112; you guys arrived 45 minutes to one hour later. Meanwhile, it took about 30 minutes to pick up your line. I delivered that child alone and handled the umbilical cord before another passerby took the placenta. Why the lies? The video is everywhere,” he wrote.
The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), in an official post on X, commended Enya, one of its members, for his bravery in assisting the woman in labour before official help arrived.
“While we commend this courage, we call on relevant government agencies to be more proactive in responding to medical emergencies, especially for vulnerable citizens. Access to affordable and available healthcare is not a privilege; it is a necessity,” the organisation stated.
Unexpected birth in an ultrasound centre
What unfolded during Enya’s desperate intervention to help a woman give birth in an unexpected place echoed an earlier incident in Ibadan, Oyo State, in 2016.
At the time, a heavily pregnant woman identified simply as Gbemisola walked into an ultrasound office in the Yemetu axis and went into labour.
The key difference, however, was that a nurse, someone with professional training, was present to step in when it mattered most.
Due to financial constraints, Gbemisola had only undergone an early ultrasound when she was about six weeks pregnant and should have had another to confirm the presentation of the unborn baby.
Checks by Saturday PUNCH showed that most women have two to four routine ultrasounds during pregnancy, typically one in the first trimester (dating scan), one mid-pregnancy (anomaly scan around 18–21 weeks), and sometimes another in the third trimester to monitor growth.
When Gbemisola began to feel the onset of labour pains, she went to a public hospital not far from her home. There, she was asked to conduct a recent scan to determine if there were any concerns.
With a sense of urgency, Gbemisola, assisted by her mother-in-law, opted for an ultrasound scanning centre close to the hospital.
As fate would have it, Gbemisola arrived at the centre at about the same time a nurse, Mrs Tolulope Awopetu, visited the clinic to see a friend who worked there.
“I wanted to do an assignment and print out some documents,” Awopetu recounted. “My friend, Tope, asked me to wait at the reception because he wanted to conduct a scan for a patient and would help me with the printing as soon as he was done.
“I was seated in the reception with Gbemi, whom I didn’t know from Adam. I noticed she seemed uncomfortable, so I urged Tope to attend to her promptly, and he did. He then asked her mother-in-law to go outside to look for a taxi so that Gbemi could be taken back to the public hospital.
“I noticed Gbemi stood up and became restless. I stepped outside to check if the taxi had arrived, but there was no one. When I returned, she was seated on the floor, lying on her back, and her water broke right there. The receptionists raised the alarm. Tope came out to see what was happening and quickly ran back into the scanning room.”
Seizing control of the situation, Awopetu asked one of the receptionists to call another nurse at a private hospital opposite the scanning centre and advised Gbemisola not to push yet.
“But it was almost too late,” Awopetu told Saturday PUNCH. “Before the other nurse arrived, Gbemi had already pushed, and I could see the baby coming out. I quickly took her wrapper and laid it on the floor, then knelt beside her to receive the baby.
“I asked for gloves, cotton wool and gauze from the receptionists. After receiving the baby, I gently patted her. She looked pink and was moving slowly, but there was no sterile or surgical blade available, so we couldn’t cut the umbilical cord or deliver the placenta.”
Amid the tension, Awopetu said she removed the Ankara head tie Gbemisola was wearing and used it to wrap the baby, while someone else was asked to call a doctor at a private hospital.
“I was still holding the baby, who had started crying. I cleaned her face, nose and mouth. Fortunately, the doctor arrived with a surgical blade, cord clamps and oxytocin, which was administered to the woman, and the placenta was delivered right there.
“We then took the woman to their private clinic, where her vital signs were checked, and an IV line was set up. To the best of my knowledge, Gbemi recovered and was discharged the next day,” she added.
Now a paediatric nurse, Awopetu described Gbemisola as fortunate, given the circumstances surrounding the delivery.
“She couldn’t afford to complete the scan payment. She didn’t have a dime on her. We never saw the woman said to be her mother-in-law while we were running around to help her; she was absent until the next day.
“Things could have gone terribly wrong, but I’m grateful they didn’t. I still feel happy that I was at the right place at the right time to help her,” Awopetu said, smiling.
Disparity in figures
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that figures for accidental or unplanned out-of-hospital deliveries in developed countries differ markedly from those in developing countries, including Nigeria.
A 2021 study published in the American Family Physician Journal revealed that between 2004 and 2017, the number of out-of-hospital births in the United States increased by 75 per cent.
“In 2018, out-of-hospital births represented 1.64 per cent of all births, translating to one in every 61 newborns being delivered outside a hospital,” the study stated.
In the United Kingdom, about 2.3 per cent of births occurred at home as of 2011/2012, with the vast majority taking place in hospitals.
In Australia, unplanned out-of-hospital births attended by paramedics accounted for approximately 0.5 per cent of the total caseload in one study.
However, the situation is markedly different in low- and middle-income countries, where a substantial proportion of births occur outside health facilities.
Globally, approximately 75 per cent of births occur outside a health facility, according to a 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine.
In low- and middle-income countries, about 28 per cent of births take place outside healthcare facilities, with the highest rates recorded in sub-Saharan Africa.
A survey published in ISRN Obstetrics and Gynaecology indicated that most births in Nigeria occur outside hospitals, with over 58 per cent of deliveries happening at home or in non-formal settings. The figures were significantly higher in rural areas (around 72 per cent) than in urban areas (around 36 per cent).
Experts noted that the safety and outcomes of out-of-hospital births depend largely on whether the delivery is planned and the availability of skilled medical attendants and emergency transport.
They added that unplanned births occurring before arrival at a hospital are often associated with higher rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Roadside delivery
On a typical Monday morning, the streets of Lagos are alive with restless, impatient and resilient residents racing against time in a city that never waits.
Against this backdrop, waves of labour suddenly seized a heavily pregnant woman on February 19, 2024, as she stood at the Onipanu Bus Stop waiting for a bus.
Bystanders rushed to her aid and contacted the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency for assistance.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s response team and paramedics moved swiftly, working alongside market women at the bus stop.
“We provided a temporary makeshift shelter to ensure the safe delivery of the baby and the well-being of the mother,” Oke-Osanyintolu said, adding that the woman, whose name was not disclosed, was delivered of a bouncing baby boy amid jubilation.
“After stabilising the mother and newborn, our officials transported them to the nearest hospital for further medical care and attention,” he added.
‘Digital validation is endangering lives’
Another surprising delivery of a baby boy took place in August last year at a market in Benin, Edo State, about 173 miles away from Lagos.
According to a source, the woman’s water broke while she was in the market, triggering contractions.
Fortunately, other women quickly came to her aid, creating an improvised delivery space and using their wrappers to shield her from public view.
In a short video clip shared by an Instagram user, Pamela, several market women were seen surrounding the new mother, while a man believed to be her husband was seen carrying the newborn as she left the scene.
Reacting to the incident, a sociologist, Adekunle Kukehin, faulted the practice of bystanders filming women in such situations, describing it as a fallout of digital validation culture and poor emergency response awareness.
“It’s unfortunate that in the world we live in today, social media has turned everyday crises into content. We have lost so much of our humanity that a woman in labour is seen as a ‘spectacle’ to be captured on camera rather than an emergency requiring urgent help.
“Digital validation culture is endangering lives, not only those of women giving birth in public but also of any other citizen in distress in a public space.
“People would rather stand and watch or record such incidents in pursuit of likes, reposts or even media attention. Social media has influenced society to the point where online visibility now translates into social capital or financial opportunity,” Kukehin said.
He also lamented the erosion of traditional societal values that emphasised collective care, particularly for women and children.
Kukehin noted that economic pressure and mass urbanisation “have weakened the social bonds that should ordinarily motivate empathy and care for strangers.”
Physicians emphasise medical intervention
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a physician, Dr Babatunde Akande, explained that delivery could occur at any time.
He said the Expected Date of Delivery provides a two-week window, two weeks before and two weeks after the due date, within which delivery may occur.
“The EDD can be calculated from the last menstrual period or from the earliest scan done during the first trimester of pregnancy. The earlier the scan, the more reliable the EDD.
“A pregnant woman should register at a government-approved hospital or maternity centre where her pregnancy will be properly monitored.
“Signs that a woman may soon deliver after 37 completed weeks of gestation for a singleton pregnancy include frequent painful contractions, blood mixed with mucus coming out of the vagina (show), and water coming out of the vagina due to rupture of the amniotic membrane,” Akande said.
He advised expectant mothers to register for antenatal care close to their homes and avoid long-distance travel as their due dates approach.
“If delivery happens on the road or in a vehicle, it is still important to go to the hospital to check for tears, bleeding and other complications, and to assess the baby because of the risk of neonatal sepsis from delivery in a non-sterile environment,” he added.
On her part, Dr Princess Williams, described the baby’s delivery by Enya outside a health facility as a display of heroism but was “deeply unsettling.”
She clarified that this was not because a baby was born, but because it happened in public, without medical support, and in a system that should have prevented it.
“This incident is not an isolated spectacle; it is a symptom. Some women, especially those who have delivered before, may experience rapid labour.
“Others may misjudge early contractions, face traffic delays, lack money for transport, or struggle to access care at night.
“In cities like Lagos, distance, congestion, and cost can turn minutes into hours. When labour accelerates, delivery may occur wherever the woman happens to be. In such moments, the difference between safety and tragedy often depends on the actions of ordinary people,” Williams said.
She urged individuals to call for emergency help immediately if a woman goes into active labour
“Alert ambulance services or the nearest hospital. Reduce crowding and keep the environment calm. Reassure the mother and encourage slow, deep breathing because anxiety worsens pain and complications. Don’t pull the baby. Let the birth happen naturally; guide gently if needed. Keep the baby warm after birth. Dry the baby and place skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest. Do not cut the cord unless instructed by a professional.
“Watch for heavy bleeding. This is an emergency prioritise rapid transport. These steps are not a substitute for medical care, but they can stabilise mother and child until help arrives,” Williams advised.
Commenting on the video involving Enya, the biker, a senior medical registrar, Dr Paul Anejodo, said that without proper medical support, the lives of both the woman and the newborn were put at serious risk.
“What if there were complications involving the mother or the baby? If arrangements had been made to convey her to the hospital, she would likely have delivered on arrival or shortly afterwards.
“Even if she delivered in the vehicle and complications arose, arriving at the hospital early could have been lifesaving. As a doctor, my first step would be to ensure the woman is lying comfortably, then immediately arrange transportation to the hospital. If the woman or baby had died from complications or blood loss, the narrative would have been entirely different,” Anejodo told Saturday PUNCH.
Explaining further, he described labour as a physiological process, noting that normal labour often progresses spontaneously to delivery without assistance.
“Have you ever wondered how deliveries happened in the Stone Age? However, pregnancy can come with complications, and managing those requires skill, sometimes specialised expertise.
“The ability to recognise complications during pregnancy or labour and seek help early is what makes one wise. That is what we expect of health workers and society at large: to identify problems promptly and seek medical assistance.
“In cases of public delivery, passers-by should immediately call emergency numbers or secure a vehicle to transport the woman to the nearest hospital. While en route, someone can stay by her side and offer necessary support, just as the biker did in the video,” Anejodo added.
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