He stood at a corner of the living room panting for breath. His eyes were fully dilated and were as red as fire. He could feel tightness in his chest as if it were being squeezed. His heart was racing so fast and his hands trembled involuntarily. With enormous anger, he took the led television which was hung on the wall and smashed it on the ground. Mobayo cried out in fear as she ran under the dining table to protect herself. It was another episode of her husband’s madness.
A few minutes later, he came back to his senses and tears trickled down his face. He felt so ashamed and remorseful for what he had done. Mobayo crawled out of the dining table after asserting that he was mentally okay and sane. “Mobayo, I’m sorry” Tunde muttered crying uncontrollably as he saw his wife.
“You are sorry? Sorry, my foot!! We were just having a trivial disagreement and you just blew the situation out of proportion. Well, I know it isn’t your fault but this is too much for me to bear especially in this condition. It’s just too much!!” Mobayo replied as she ran into her room crying.
Tunde was suffering from a mental disorder called ‘Intermittent Explosive Disorder’ (IED). It is a mental disorder which is characterized by sudden episodes of aggressive and violent outburst. In this case, one reacts grossly out of proportion to a situation. It has no exact cause but can be traced to some environmental and biological factors. Tunde was physically abused severally while growing up as a child coupled with the fact that his grandfather had the same mental illness and so, that explains why he had it. The intermittent explosive disorder has no cure but it can be managed by medications and psychotherapy.
“ Babe, we need to talk,” Mobayo said as she laid on the same bed with him. You know it’s been three weeks since you had an episode of that disorder. You are also aware that I would be due for delivery in less than two months from now and so I have a suggestion. I think it’s better I stay with my aunt pending the time I deliver the baby to avoid any casualties while you keep taking your medications correctly. What do you feel about this dear? Mobayo said choosing her words correctly in order not to upset him but something terrible happened after that.
Tunde jumped out from the bed furiously and gave her a resounding slap. “So I am a mad man now? I am a murderer now? You are very stupid. I would show you that I am truly a mad man” Tunde screamed in rage as he held Mobayo’s neck strangling her. “That’s not what I mean Tunde. Leave my neck alone! Leave me, please!! I can’t breathe Tunde” Mobayo said struggling for life. Tunde didn’t listen to her pleas but strangled her till she took her last breath. When he realized what had happened, he burst into hot tears. Was his wife truly dead?
“Mobayo!!! Please wake up! I’m sorry love. Don’t tell me you are dead? Wake up, please. What about my unborn child? Don’t tell me I killed the both of you. I’m sorry please.” Tunde cried his eyes out till they were swollen. It all seemed like a dream to him. He couldn’t sleep throughout the whole night. He wept all through.
The next day, he immediately moved his wife’s corpse to an empty room in his house and locked the door. He was confused. He couldn’t tell anyone about what he had done because he would be arrested. Out of fear, Tunde grabbed a small bag, packed a few clothes into it and ran away from his house. He wanted to save his head and so he went to lodge in a hotel some distance away from his house pending the time he comes up with a good plan.
One week later, he came up with a plan. He was going to tell everyone that he travelled and when he got back home, he met his wife dead. “Was that a good plan?” He thought. Well, that was the only thing he could do and people would probably believe him if he acted it well.
Tunde hastily rushed back home ready to put up the act. When he got to the room where he kept his wife, he opened the door and the stench emitting the room was terrible. It was worse than the smell of rotten eggs. He had to hold his breath as he entered the room, covering his nose with a plain blue handkerchief. He saw the most gruesome thing he had ever seen before. The sight was frightful, repelling and horrible that he nearly passed out.
Mobayo’s body had turned almost green. Flies were buzzing around her body and maggots were feasting on her body. Aside from that, something laid in between her thighs that caught Tunde’s attention. The sight was so appalling. It was a creature and it had something like a head and also had tiny hands. Tunde moved towards it and took a closer look. Mobayo’s black netted pant was on her ankles and the creature laid in between her thighs close to her vagina. “Is this a baby?” Tunde screamed as he ran out of the room fearfully.
“Stop there!” A man in a light-blue uniform shouted as he got to the corridor. It was a police officer. “You are under arrest Mr Tunde for the murder of your pregnant wife,” He said as he beckoned to another police officer to put the handcuffs on him. “Ahhh! Mr Tunde, so you murdered your wife. Your pregnant wife for that matter!! I knew my suspicion was right. That very night, I heard your wife screaming and the next day when I peeped into your compound, your car wasn’t there. I tried calling your line but it was switched off. I also tried calling your wife’s number but it kept ringing and she never picked. So, I knew something was wrong. When I saw you drive in today, I decided to call the Police.” Mrs Olofofo, their neighbour said in tears.
Everyone was shocked at the creature they found lying in between Mobayo’s thighs. After thorough scientific analysis, it was postulated that it was a coffin birth. You might be curious to know what a coffin birth means. Well, a coffin birth which is also known as ‘post mortem fetal extrusion’ is the expulsion of a non-viable fetus through the vaginal opening of a decomposing deceased pregnant woman. When a corpse starts decomposing, the pressure of intra-abdominal gases increases in the body and it is this pressure that is responsible for the expulsion of the non-viable fetus. This implies that a dead pregnant woman can give birth some period after her death. However, this post mortem delivery is rare because nowadays, chemical preservatives are pumped into the body to replace natural fluids and remember that Mobayo’s corpse was left unpreserved.
Tunde was sentenced to death by hanging notwithstanding that he had Intermittent Explosive Disorder which was the reason for the murder. Having this disorder wasn’t his fault so I think the judge could have been more lenient with him. I also feel that Mobayo should be blamed for her murder. Was she supposed to remain in the same house with her husband despite his mental illness? Considering Tunde, why did he keep having episodes of this disorder? Was he doing something wrong? If you were to be a judge over this matter, what would be your view on this?
Sadly for the couple, their precious baby was birthed in one of the scariest and spine-chilling – COFFIN BIRTH!!
Writer: Isibor Precious
Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
This is a very nice article and besides this is the first time I am just hearing about coffin birth… Good job writer
Thanks
Wow…
Wow….
Nice write up.
Well done.
But how come the neighbor’s name is Mrs Olofofo….that’s funny.
….since it’s a non viable foetus….it’s dead right?
The name Mrs Olofofo is just fictional though it’s actually funny.
You are right concerning the non-viable foetus being dead.
Wow, this is mind-blowing I enjoyed reading every bit of the article. Thank you, Isibor Precious, for sharing this beautiful article. It is a very nice article
You are welcome
Wow!!!! Like wow!!!, never heard this before. Awesome write up, thanks for sharing.
One question, this post mortem fetal extrusion can’t produce live baby right?
It’s almost impossible to produce a baby that’s alive.
I must say that this article is magnificent, and the same time quite touching!
Thanks for this piece, indeed I learnt alot.More grease to your elbow.
Wow. I’m mesmerized
I didnt know there’s a thing called “post-mortem expulsion of fetus ”
After going through the post, I am now trying to find the medical explanation
1)if there was an expulsive force on the uterus, there has to be cervical dilatation.
Since she’s dead, there wont be muscular tone at the internal and external cervical os leading to unobstructed passage of the fetus
2)from the explanation from the post, it has to be when the dead mother starts decomposing,rigor mortis would have ‘waned’
But on the other hand, what happens to the amniotic membranes, is it expelled alongside?. Because the gaseous factor couldn’t have welled up inside the uterus also, that wont ultimately lead to the extrusion.
And what if the woman in question is primigravida, the cervix is still innocent, the elastic nature hasn’t been kzyyxitt
This is a very interesting article 🤩
Yh I’ve heard of something like this
That decomposition microorganisms in the gut increase pressure and tension something like that that would cause the expulsion of the baby
But it wouldnt be possible to give birth to a live baby tho unless the woman was in a hospital that had facilities to create that bacterial effect and still supply nutrients to child.
Keep up the good work
You are absolutely right dear
Once we killed a chicken and while it was been de-feathered in hot water I saw it pooping and I was like😯 mouth agaped. It was something cool to see but I didn’t really know what caused it, we just all laughed at what we saw cause twas funny. I never checked to see why that happened but this article has opened my eyes to what could have caused that.
Kudos Precious, nice write up
Kudos Med-zone
Very funny though. It might probably be related to this.
Was this a real life stry?
the judge was wrong!!! Considering his situation, though he did something so terrible but still he is innocent.
As for the lady, i taught of that from the beginning that why would she continue staying with him alone, she should have done something or tell someone abt it or was she shy of that😳
I just hope the baby survived!
It’s actually a fictional story.
Sadly, the baby didn’t survive. It was a non-viable foetus (i.e a dead baby).
This is really really nice. And descriptive
Wow.. I certainly had no idea about this.. keep learning new stuffs everyday..
Amazing. Ma mind keeps learning and exploring possibilities
Wow
I’ve never heard of a coffin birth
Nice write up
Waoooo Waoooo Waooooo
I followed up from the medzone TV status I had to read this.
I’m mesmerized..
Kudos to the author
Before I read this i was wondering how possible it could be but now my mind is fully blown.
Wow , never knew of this. Thank God I know today
😬👍👍
Never heard of coffin birth,this is a first.
Nice article!
Well I expect mobayo should have picked the heels and run for her life, I mean it’s IED, at least consider her baby.
And the man what happened wasn’t his fault his brain was faulty and it was not something he could repair I feel instead of death sentence maybe life imprisonment confined to a psychiatric home. It’s saddening but the woman should have been wiser.
Nice eye opener though👌
I’ve never heard of coffin birth… I’m glad to have learnt something new.
With one story, I have learnt three things:
Coffin birth
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Criminal code
Thank you for blessing me this day with his wonderful story. I don’t believe Tunde deserved to be sentenced to death (on the count that he suffers from an identifiable disastrous disorder); but like the story says, something in his environment would have triggered his actions.
I also done think his wife, Mobayo was supposed to live with him in the same house, being aware of his condition(and for the safety of their unborn child).
You are an excellent writer. Keep it up!
Waoh
A nice write up
Thanks to the writer, Isibor Precious
My stand as a Judge wouldn’t have been death by hanging.
It’s so unfortunate he murdered his wife already, but this happened with an underlying ailment beyound his control.
I would rather ask his referral to cognitive/ behavioural therapy centre