The 24-year-old Nigerian mother who gave birth on a warship after the Italian navy rescued her from a migrant boat has said her new daughter would have a better life in Europe, explaining why she risked the dangerous voyage.
Francesca Marina, named after St. Francis and the Italian navy, was 3.37 kilos (7 pounds, 7 ounces) when she was delivered aboard the Bettica naval vessel in the Mediterranean a week ago. Once ashore, she suffered from seizures and was put in intensive care.
A week on, both Stephanie Samuel, the 24-year-old Nigerian mother, and Francesca Marina have recovered. Doctors at the Sicilian hospital said they would probably be transferred to an immigration centre for families with small children in a few days time.
The story of the migrant baby born aboard a navy ship captured international media attention at the end of one of the busiest weekends for sea crossings from Libya to Europe this year, in which about 6,800 were rescued and dozens are said to have drowned.
Samuel worked for two years in Tripoli as a housemaid to save money to pay smugglers for the trip, but then the boat she set off in with about 90 others stalled after only three hours at sea.
By the time they were picked up by the Bettica off the Libyan coast seven hours later, she was unconscious after suffering epileptic seizures and had gone into labour.
"I didn't expect the baby, you know, but she just like, she just came," Samuel said. "I just wanted to leave Libya. Italy is better than Libya and Nigeria is the worst."
About her daughter, she said: "God decides, not me ... but I believe she will have a more good future in Europe."
She said her husband, who is still working in Libya, was ready to risk the sea crossing to be with his daughter and wife as soon as he could afford to pay smugglers who demand up to $1,500 for passage on an overcrowded, rickety boat.
Source : Reuters
Nawah!...people who get on a plane and get into Europe dont know what God has done for them!
Na she sabi.
ReplyDeleteWho she help!
Shut up ur leaky mouth no where is easy all you need in the God factor ,a lil favour ,hardwork,perseverance and great ideas which u can turn to money .I have been to slums in paris and italy annd seen migrants live like rats infact I saw a roach in a benin church members tiny room in that area where blacks are concentrated in paris and her tolet is outside her tiny room that looks like a pantry where she shares it with 3 other tenants I was in shock and formed excuse to run away Tufia ! And her family with be bragging here in Naija that their daughter is in obodo oyibo
DeleteTo go live abroad no be moimoi o so shine ya eyes wella
I can never go and hustle abroad,NEVER!
DeleteI will go there for vacations and spend my money to pamper myself. I love my country no be for mouth.
A Nigerian with two western names for first and surname don already port. "Francesca" welcome o. Oyibo pikim dem born for 9ja no dey get 9jA name. Smh for our people
ReplyDeleteWhat you are looking for, all the money you want u can make it in Nigeria, Stop chasing a Mirage. I would travel Abroad as an expertriate not as a 3rd class citizen
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with this one??? So we that we are living in Nigeria nko??? I dunno how Nigeria can be worse than Libya. No just lemme wish deportation on u. Mtsheeeew
ReplyDeleteShes an ashewo. Househelp koo. Mscheeeeew. Sufferhead
DeleteHmnnnn.....
ReplyDeleteWhat's with Nigerians and I must travel abroad syndrome???....
ReplyDeleteBut Naija is not that bad nau...
No place like home biko...
I love Naija anytime anyday...
Nnem u can say that again biko.
DeleteUwa di egwu
ReplyDeleteWill Francesca have instant citizenship despite she was born on the high sea,I don't really know the Italian immigration laws.
ReplyDeleteYes
ReplyDeleteYes oh yesssss
Some folks can take risks sha. I hope her dreams come true. I'm not happy, my second best team, Real Madrid lost.
ReplyDeleteThank God for her life.... Nigeria is only good for the rich and worst for d poor...
ReplyDeleteLucky baby....
Na WA!!!
ReplyDeleteOh dear Lord please have mercy on this woman and grant her favor in the sight of the immigration officers. Touching story
ReplyDeleteam happy for her and her baby
ReplyDeleteBia Stella which kind talk be that, as if europe be heaven
ReplyDeleteYes I can say Nigeria is worst of u don't have money, but for us Nigeria is just a place of rest.after hustling u come home and enjoy your money.
ReplyDeleteGbam!
DeleteYea # German Juice
DeleteIs Nigeria that bad that you had to risk ur life and that of your baby's to cross seas and oceans to get to Italy of all countries?
ReplyDeleteStella oshomole is secretly getting married this Friday I have pics of him and the babe the girl is my brothers x confirm news don't know how to reach u.
ReplyDeletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said..
ReplyDelete.
Yh, she is fucking saying the truth and nothing but the truth.....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
Nigeria is not fit for human habitation. I won't be caught dead sticking my d..K into any girl in Nigeria. Yuck! Everywhere and everyone is very dirty
DeleteIdiot. With ur toilet cleaning job u can open ur mouth and say Nigeria is not fit for habitation.
DeleteFool with ur teeny weeny d...k.. I'm sure u look like shrek
DeleteDis lady risked her life,saying she wants a better life!
ReplyDeleteWat if she had died
Hmm
It's a pity what people go through just to come to Europe.
ReplyDeleteI pray she finds the better life she seeks.
Awww, the baby is beautiful. She was so determined. GOD bless her hustle.
ReplyDeleteIf u r poor, Nigeria is actually worse than hell!
ReplyDeleteShe is not Nigerian! We dont have that accent in Nigeria. I can bet money she is not
ReplyDeletePEOPLE WILL START CONDEMMING THIS WOMAN NOW! WHEN I WAS GETTING MY CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP THE ITALIAN WOMAN THAT HONORED US TOLD US HER OWN STORY TOO, APPARENTLY HER PARENTS CAME TO CANADA BY BOAD/SHIP AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM MEXICO RISKING THEIR LIVES ON A MOVING TRAIN JUST TO GET INTO AMERRICA. LIFE WITHOUT A RISK IS NO RISK AT ALL. KUDOS TO YOU !!!
ReplyDeleteCan't she make her point without condemning Nigeria ?
ReplyDeleteNigeria is the worst place abi? Ok o! No wonder the planes are full of expatriates coming to Nigeria to work! Why wouldn't Italy be the best place? As soon as you land you become a liability to the government. They don't know what to do with you. They give you 45 euro/ day indefinitely. Put you up in 4 star hotel. Give you loaded SIM card and wifi. You constitute a nuisance to your hosts and dirty the environment. You don't work even though they (Italian government) beg you to get a job! And even offer you job. No way for you to work since you are enjoying free living in another mans' country. Oni yeye!! You are a disgrace to the pepper sellers and mechanics etc. who stay and earn honest money and work hard for a living. God punish you for bringing down the name of Nigeria in the mud and making the world count us a refugee countries. God purnish you lazy goat!! Nonsense.
ReplyDeleteI say she is an ashewo. See the places Libya, Italy. All this one na talk. Na grade 3 ashewo
DeleteAmen....
DeleteShe lie?
ReplyDeleteThank God for both of them
ReplyDeleteShe dey talk am like sey Italian streets are line up in gold! She's just lucky that her predicament has captured international attention & she might get the help she so desires, thanks largely to little Francesca Marina...and not her silly, slutty mouth she's using to slander 9ja like dat! If na only her sef, who for send her ugly face? Mstcheeew!
ReplyDeleteI hate when ppl risk dere life dis much just to get to Europe.
ReplyDeleteStella the correct English na "at sea" no be "on sea". I tink say u don get editor? Doo I no say e no easy for one person.
ReplyDeleteSee this fool o.u should be thankful u were no thrown off the boat into the sea..Na life u dey live so?living in a migrants settlement,being feed 3 times a day like a prisoner..long hiss.
ReplyDeleteNa her wahala be that,I hope say she see moni pick for the street of Europe.
ReplyDeleteCynthiakalubookclub.bblogsspot.com
Hmmm, Nawa.
ReplyDeleteHope she gets what she's looking for.
"If you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there"
@Mosi_Tash_Jazzy
The girl no lie ooo, just thank God for your own.. I was in Nigeria awhile ago, met this fine chick we exchanged numbers. So I decide to go pick her at her place so we can go out and to know where she lives... On getting there I was very sad. I just couldn't help it but to start crying. Father abandoned them, they lived in a church quater(uncompleted building) that's close to a bush where snakes visit.. There in the room brother in sick bed, he has bn bitten by snake... So tell me for ppl like that is Nigeria the best place for them to live... If you hear other people's stories u will be thanking God for your life. Nigeria is good for u because u even have money to buy MB and open blogs on your phone. My ppl Oyinbo no go let u treat him Dog for some hospitals here in Nigeria. Make we just pray for better tomorrow and try as much as possible to help others in need. May God Bless Nigeria
ReplyDeleteIt's this same Nigeria that people live, prosper and become successful. Your destiny is different from another...stop using your mouth to destroy Nigeria. If you are patriotic, you won't even talk ill of your country just to get papers.
Deletefor her mind,her baby na citizen of where again?
ReplyDeleteSeen. . .whatever rocks her boat!
ReplyDelete