People always ask if we’re triplets – Eweama siblings born same month, day

Three siblings; Israel, Rejoice, and Bethel Eweama, who share the same birthday (born same month and day, years apart), share their thoughts with AYOOLA OLASUPO on how the unique development has made them popular among their peers

Friends want us in Guinness World Records – Israel

Can you tell us a little about your background?

My name is Israel Prevail Eweama. I’m from the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State but reside in Lagos. My parents were pastors. They resided in Lagos State before going to the South-East after retirement. My parents were blessed with five children and I’m the fourth child. My sister, Rejoice, is the last child. We have four boys and a girl in our family.
What birthday do you share with your siblings?

We share the same birthday which is more like a gift to our parents because it’s unique and wonderful. It’s the 22nd of November. The first four children are male, while the last child is a female.

Do the first and second children have different birthdays?
Their birth months are different. I think the first child was born on March 27th, while the second was on February 22nd.

How about your parents?

Daddy shares the same birth month with us. Dad was born in November, while mummy was born on February 5th.

How does the first child feel knowing that he doesn’t share either the birth month or day with anybody in the family?

You know how the first child behaves. They are just like parents; so, they cover everything the parents couldn’t do. He’s a protector who is always happy for us. He does things for us when we are still younger. At this point, he still carries our age and birthdays more than us. He celebrates us. He’s more like a happy fellow. That’s how I can put it. He’s good and feels happy when his younger ones are.

What do people say when they realise that you share the same birthday with your siblings?

Even to this day, most of them are still shocked. I don’t know how to put it because they are trying to figure it out, saying how is it possible? Every year, we only have long conversations and explanations. They are always surprised, asking us how our parents got to do the stuff. How did it happen? Did they plan it?
So, we cannot hide our birthdays because even before that time, our friends and colleagues will send messages, call us, and ask if we will be celebrating the day. It’s just like the regular 25th of December and how it looks. My elder brother and younger sister were born after nine months of pregnancy, while I was born after 11 months.

Were you born through a cesarean section? 

No, I spent 11 months in my mother’s womb. Whenever I explained to my friends when I was still in primary school, they would say, maybe it was my parents’ plan. It was then I would go further to tell them that I wasn’t born after nine months and that mine was 11 months. So, how would they solve that? That is to show you that there is a purpose. God just planned everything normally and scientifically.

Will you like your children to share the same birthday?

Yes, I pray for such too. God should do the miracle or the work because I’ve experienced the blessings. I’ve experienced the excitement, the blessings, and what comes out of it. I didn’t experience the negative things. So, I also want my kids to experience the same thing. But it is fine if it doesn’t happen, and if it does, that is definitely a blessing. It has been a blessing for me too from childhood to this moment because I’ve seen a lot from childhood.

Do you intend to share this uncommon birthday coincidence for it to be recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records?

Absolutely! We considered it because when I was growing up, there were a lot of elderly people and friends advising us to meet the Guinness Book of World Records organisers. After all, this is very rare and the world needs to hear about it.
So, we’ve had it on our minds. We are just living our lives the normal way. If the world record comes, it will be beautiful. If it doesn’t come, we will still celebrate ourselves as world record holders. That’s how I see it.

Sharing same birthday with two brothers strengthens family bond – Rejoice

Can you tell us a little about your background?

My name is Rejoice Eweama and I’m from a family of five. I’m the only girl and the last child, and I have four elder brothers. I am a gospel artist.

What school did you attend?

I studied Mass Communication at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State.

How do you feel about sharing the same birthday with your siblings?
I feel good about it because whenever the day approaches, there is this excitement in the air because of the uniqueness of the date knowing that we’re not just celebrating the day alone; I am celebrating it with two of my siblings. It’s something we always look forward to in the family because it’s a time of celebration and thanksgiving that God brought us this far and we’re still here, celebrating year in, year out. I get excited about it.

The feeling that comes with the fact that everybody is talking about it and people asking if we are triplets is exciting. We have to be explaining to people that we’re not. It’s a good thing for my family.

When is that birthday you share with your siblings?

We are two years apart. So, that’s the unique thing about it. I am the last child after Israel and Bethel. That’s November 22nd.
How did you celebrate this year’s birthday with your siblings since you are currently in the United Kingdom?

Honestly, I did not feel good that I was not with them but they both went out with some of my family members. So, what I did was connect with them through a video call. On the other hand, I had people here who also celebrated the day with me and it was fun.

How did you feel for one another when you realised that you all shared the same birthday?
It was funny. When we were growing up, I didn’t understand it. On that day, my parents would say happy birthday to us, and in my head, I’d be asking myself about what they were saying because I didn’t understand it. But it made more meaning when I started growing up. The moment I realised that we share the same birthday, and the fact that we’re even years apart, I was in awe.

There’ve been times I would ask my mum to let me understand the chemistry behind how they were able to do this because even scientifically, it is not possible. So, when I asked her, she said it was God, and genuinely, I think that was the case because judging from my background and where we’re coming from, they didn’t really know much about science.

Did you talk to your dad about it too and what was his response?

I’ve spoken to him and he said the same thing. I think it is the truth.

How do your family and friends handle gifts for your shared birthday? Are they personalised, or do you receive similar gifts?

People who knew we were all celebrating came together and gave us collective gifts. We also have personal friends. So, people definitely personalised their gifts for whomever they know and want to give it, but generally, we always had collective gifts from people who knew us and from our friends too.

How do your parents or extended family members feel about the coincidence of birthdays?
They find it special and it’s something they always look forward to and talk about.

People ask if we’re triplets – Bethel

Can you tell us a little about your background?

My name is Bethel Eweama. I’m from Imo State just like my siblings must have said. I’m into media production. I currently run a visual multimedia company named after me. Since the years are apart, I’m the first of the three siblings. I opened the floor on November 22nd followed by my younger brother, Israel, and Rejoice.

How do you feel about sharing the same birthday with your siblings?

It feels very special. I know the expression when I told people I shared the same birthday with my two younger siblings and they always ask if we are triplets. You know the shock on people’s faces when they ask about how it happened. Every year is another time to start explaining to people over again. It’s a special feeling.

Have you ever asked your parents about it before?
I know that they are very religious. They are both pastors. So, I remember asking her how this happened, and she said maybe God just wanted to have it that way. They neither planned nor prayed that she gave birth to three children the same day in the same month. There was no plan, no intention, and no prayer. It just happened and it seems it came from a very spiritual angle.

How do you attend to people who find it difficult to believe?

People are not convinced. They always say that they need to be sure that we are not triplets. That’s the feedback I get all the time. My younger brother, Israel, was born after 11 months. If not, his birthday would have been September, and that’s strange. So, coming from a heavily family-oriented people, if there’s one thing people around us know, it is how close we are to family. I think my siblings are the closest people to me because I’m not the friendly type. We literally work together.

How do you guys celebrate your birthdays?

Well, we are not loud people; we are very quiet and calm. We do elaborate celebrations. Anytime we have celebrations within the family, we go out, have fun, and then we are back home. We don’t do anything extravagant and it is just a small family celebration.

What challenges do you face from this uniqueness?

It’s the fact that on the days when I don’t want to be out there, something has to drag me out because if my siblings have to celebrate their birthday, it means I have to celebrate mine too, and Rejoice, who is an artiste, would want to do photo shoots almost every year. That means I would forcefully be in the picture even when I wouldn’t say I like taking pictures.
How did your wife and her family react when they first learnt about it?

Well, my wife doubted it initially, which I considered normal for her because I get that all the time. She had a doubt and wanted to confirm. So, she spoke to my sister, who also confirmed it, yet she wasn’t convinced and went straight to my mum who told her that it was true and that we were all born on the same day and month, but some years apart. Then the next thing she said was that she would inherit the same date from my mother-in-law, and see if she could replicate it.

Are your parents happy about it too?

They feel good about it. It reminds them every year that they’ve done something unique and special. They’re always looking forward to it. People don’t just end up calling us names. They call them too. I know many people call my parents on our birthdays to ask them for ideas on how to replicate these things. It’s always a very unique moment for them. They love it.

What significance do you see in birthdays?

Birthdays are great because they remind you that your days on earth have just dropped by one year.

Will you consider being a Guinness World Record holder just as Israel has said?
Well, being the introverted one, I don’t know how I will manage that but if it’s possible that this is global, then I wouldn’t mind. It’s a good story to tell. It is achievable.