A Nigerian couple, Ambrose and Mercy Akinmoluwayan, have expressed joy over the birth of their twins after 16 years of marriage. 

The twin boys, Joseph and Joshua, were dedicated to God in their church in Abuja.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria after the dedication, Akinmoluwayan said he got married to his wife, Mercy, on Dec. 3, 2005 in Ondo State.

“I got married at Charismatic Renewal Ministries in Ondo town. I got married to my wife, Mercy Adenugba, who is now Mercy Akinmoluwayan,” he said. 

Akinmoluwayan, who said he would be 52 years by January 23, said it took them 16 years to wait on the Lord.

“This year August 12, my wife clocked 50. We gave birth to the babies on September 27, 2021 at Federal Medical Centre, Abuja,” he said.

He said though there were challenges in the course of hoping for the best, “because we are Christians and we have decided by God’s grace that we have to make this marriage work, we did not allow pressure from here and there to weigh us down.”

According to him, we were expecting God to give us children but even if it didn’t come, we were determined that we won’t break our home.

“And God, so faithful, decided to honour us and gave us these twins,” he added. 

Mr Akinmoluwayan advised couples who are facing similar challenge not to give up.

“Don’t draw conclusion on your life and don’t write yourself off,” he said.

He said Mercy was a virgin when he got married to her.

“So it was not that she had even messed herself up at all but we give thanks to God,” he added.

Also speaking, Mrs Akinmoluwayan said he felt good and happy to dedicate her babies “because the Lord has added to our number.”

The wife, who said she hails from Ondo town, said there were times she got discouraged.

“During the course of getting pregnancy and you have miscarriages, discouragement comes. But in the midst of three miscarriages, God gave us the two wonderful boys,” she said.

She said though it was not all that easy to wait on the Lord, “but I advise the women out there to put their trust in God.

“The God of all possibilities that did it for us, he has never changed. He is the same yesterday, today and for ever more. He will do it for them. They should hold on and hold on to the Lord.”