The last surviving twin rescued by Scottish missionary Mary Slessor in Arochukwu, present-day Abia State in South-East, has passed away at the age of 115.
Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke’s family announced her demise on Thursday.
In a statement released to the Press in Umuahia, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke, the only surviving son of the deceased, confirmed that Madam Okereke, fondly known as “Mama Nsu Bekee” (Mama who speaks English), died on March 5 after a brief illness.
Born around 1900 alongside her twin sister, Mgbokwo, she was born in an era when twin births were considered an abomination in Arochukwu and parts of the Lower Cross River region.
Twins were cast into the “evil forest.”
But Mary Slessor arrived in 1876 and campaigned to end the tradition.
Mgbokwo, her twin sister, passed away nearly two decades ago.
According to the family, Slessor and her team not only attended to the twins’ birth at their maternity in Obinagu, Amasu Village, Arochukwu, but also adopted and fostered them.
The twins received formal education at Mary Slessor Primary School (now Mary Slessor Secondary Technical School), where they developed a strong command of the English language, earning Madam Okereke her nickname.
Bishop Okereke described his mother as a vibrant figure who remained strong, neatly dressed, and joyful until her final moments. She is survived by one son, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives, having had three children—a daughter and two sons.
