Nigerian comedian Ali Baba recently shared his thoughts on the unexpected birth of his triplet sons at the age of 59 during an interview on the Leadership Podcast. The arrival of the triplets came as a delightful surprise, particularly since his wife, Mary Bassey-Akpobome, had always expressed a desire for a son after having two daughters.
In the candid conversation, Ali Baba recounted their journey to parenthood, which involved in vitro fertilization (IVF). Initially, they had contemplated adoption after their children graduated and left home, with his wife considering taking in two or three kids. However, after discussions about expanding their family, the couple decided to pursue IVF instead.
“Triplets o! I thought it was April Fools too,” he admitted, reflecting on his disbelief. Ali Baba explained that while they intended to have one child, they agreed to try for two embryos after his wife highlighted the common perception that IVF could fail. To their surprise, one of the embryos split, resulting in triplets.
“Then she said instead of adopting kids, we should have our own, and I was like the economy… she said let’s have one and I agreed. Then she said again, ‘You know they say IVF fails, so let’s do two’ and I agreed. Then one of the eggs split into two and that’s how we had triplets. When she and the doctor realized that it had become three, they didn’t want to tell me,” he revealed.
The announcement of their triplets’ birth came on April Fool’s Day in 2024, which initially led to confusion among his followers, with many unsure whether to congratulate him or dismiss it as a prank. However, any doubts were quickly put to rest when photos and videos from the baby dedication circulated on social media the following month.
Ali Baba’s story not only highlights the joys and surprises of parenthood later in life but also the unique journey that comes with family planning, especially in the face of societal expectations.