In 2010, a Nigerian couple, Ben and Angela Ihegboro, living in London, UK, welcomed a baby girl named Nmachi. What made her birth extraordinary was her striking appearance – blonde hair and blue eyes. The couple was shocked, and their surprise was shared by medical experts.
Nmachi’s parents were baffled by her appearance, as neither of them had any mixed-race family history. Ben, a customer service adviser, recalled the moment of her birth, saying, “The first thing I said was, ‘What the flip?’ We both just sat there after the birth staring at her for ages – not saying anything.”
Doctors were unable to provide a clear explanation for Nmachi’s appearance, but they proposed three possible theories. One possibility was a rare gene mutation, which could be passed on to her children. Another theory suggested that Nmachi’s appearance could be the result of long-dormant genes passed down from her ancestors. A third possibility was that Nmachi might have a mutated version of albinism, which could cause her skin to darken over time.
Ben and Angela were grateful for their “miracle baby” and cherished her unique appearance. As Ben said, “She doesn’t look like an albino child anyway. Not like the ones I have seen back in Nigeria or in books. She just looks like a healthy white baby.”
