After spending decades praying for a husband, 50-year-old Nigerian woman Olusola Olonade has welcomed quadruplets as a first time mother, just two years after marrying at 48.

Olonade tied the knot on December 12, 2023, and quickly hoped to transition into motherhood.

After conceiving through in vitro fertilization, she gave birth to four babies just three weeks before her 50th birthday.

Reflecting on her miraculous journey, Olonade told BBC Africa, “I gave birth at the age of 50, but never knew I would have four at once.

Olonade married on December 12, 2023, after years of praying for a spouse. Having waited decades to find a partner, she hoped to transition into motherhood without further delays.

She eventually conceived through in vitro fertilisation, giving birth to four babies at once

“I gave birth at the age of 50 but never knew I would have four at once. When I got married at 48, two things gave me the confidence that I will have my own babies. One, God promised me that I will have children. Two, I had checked my husband’s family history and they don’t have a history of infidelity unless you choose to stop having babies,” Olusola told BBC Africa.

IVF is a fertility treatment in which eggs are fertilised with sperm in a laboratory, with an resulting embryo transferred into the womb. Success rates vary depending on factors such as a woman’s age, the quality of the eggs and the clinic’s procedures

Despite her age, Olonade said she believed her pregnancy was an answer to prayer, acknowledging that IVF does not always result in a successful pregnancy

“I had the babies through IVF but it is not everyone who has a successful IVF. I know people who have done IVF ten times and it failed. And they are not even as old as I am. I cannot leave God out of this,” she said

The first-time mother also spoke about the support she receives from her husband as they care for their four children

“There are times he tells me to go to sleep that he will care for them. This has happened many times overnight,” she said

Her husband, Olonade, said his wife had given him the companionship and peace of mind he had always hoped for in marriage.

He added that her age had never been a consideration for him.

Despite becoming a mother at 50, Olusola said she remained hopeful of living long enough to see her family grow across generations.

“There are people who have their children at 48 and they live to be 96 becoming great grandmothers. By the grace of God, I will live to be a great grandmum,” she said.