The stillness of the early New Year’s morning at Akirika Ukwu Primary Healthcare Centre was broken not by the usual quiet of the night, but by a cry that signaled a new beginning for Abia State.
At exactly 12:43 a.m. on January 1, 2026, Miss Oluebubechi Excessgrace Nwatuobi made her debut into the world. Weighing a healthy 3kg, she wasn’t just a daughter to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nwatuobi Chiagozie—she was officially the State’s First Baby of the Year.
On Thursday, the atmosphere at the health facility shifted from clinical to celebratory as the First Lady of Abia State, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, arrived to personally welcome the newborn.
In a gesture of maternal warmth and state support, Mrs. Otti presented the family with a cash gift of ₦1 million and a bounty of essential items, including rice, milk, groundnut oil, and sanitary materials. The First Lady, moved by the occasion, bestowed an additional name upon the child: “Ihuoma,” praying that the infant grows in peace, grace, and divine favor.
“This baby’s arrival is a joyful beginning to our new year,” Mrs. Otti remarked. “These gifts are a way to ensure both mother and child have the nutrition and support they need to thrive.”
Beyond the celebration of life, the birth served as a testament to the state’s reviving medical infrastructure. Mrs. Otti highlighted that a safe, successful delivery at a Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) is proof that the state’s health reforms are reaching the grassroots.
Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, the Commissioner for Health, echoed this sentiment. He credited Governor Alex Otti’s administration for revitalizing rural health centers, urging expectant mothers to abandon risky alternatives and trust government-owned facilities to prevent maternal mortality.
For the parents, who hail from Itungwa in Obingwa LGA, the visit was nothing short of a miracle. Mrs. Blessing Chinagozie looked on with emotion as the Matron of the center, Kasarachi Emmanuel, described the First Lady’s intervention as “timely and impactful
As the First Lady and her entourage of top government officials departed, they left behind more than just supplies; they left a family empowered and a community reassured that the state’s healthcare system is indeed working for the people.
