The residents of the ancient town of Bida in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State were bewildered yesterday when a baby girl holding tightly to a rosary (tesbiy) in her hands was born.The incident, which occurred around 2.00 p.m at Kotuworo area of the town, close to the home of Alhaji Bello Mansaba, the man with 86 wives, was said to have caused uproar, with people thronging the town to have a look at the baby born to Mrs Adijat and Mallam Issa, both of whom hail from Lama, Kwara State.

It was further gathered that Adijat rushed to the home of a midwife, Abubakar Baiwa Shasha, where she was delivered of her baby girl.

Further checks, however, revealed that when the baby was about to be delivered, the nurse, it was gathered, saw to her surprise a black rosary round the neck of the child, which immediately turned white as soon as she was delivered.

It was further learnt that the midwife raised the alarm that attracted the attention of people in the neighbourhood.

While speaking with newsmen, the nurse said when the baby was about to be delivered, she was surprised to see the rosary around her neck, adding that another surprise was that the rosary turned white upon delivery.

“I was really shocked when I saw the rosary,” she said.

When contacted, Mansaba, an Islamic scholar, told newsmen that the delivery of the child showed the greatness of God.

Also, Alhaji Mutairi Salau, who claimed the mother of the baby, Kadijat, is a friend to his wife, described the birth as miraculous, saying “it is only God that can exhibit such power as to cause a woman to deliver a child with a praying rosary.”

The baby was later taken to the palace of Etsu Nupe, where they were received and blessed by the traditional ruler , Alhaji Yahaya Abubukar.

Confirming the incident, the Emirate secretary, Alhaji Abdulmalik, when contacted, said the child was brought to the palace by the parents and she was prayed for by the royal father.