₦airaland Forum

Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, the last surviving twin rescued by Scottish missionary Mary Slessor in Arochukwu, Abia State, has passed away at the age of 115, her family announced on Thursday.

In a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 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 1800 alongside her twin sister, Mgbokwo, Madam Okereke entered the world during an era when twin births were considered taboo in Arochukwu and parts of the Lower Cross River region. The now-abolished practice of twin killings saw such children cast into the “evil forest” until 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.

Madam Okereke’s life stands as a testament to the transformative impact of Mary Slessor’s missionary work in abolishing harmful cultural practices and promoting education in Nigeria’s Arochukwu region.

MightySparrow:
The twins that yorubas celebrate as idols with a lot sacrifices is a taboo among igbos.

Igbo Ora, Oyo State, has the highest number of twins in the whole world.

Zionmdde:
To a large extent African traditions were purely evil
Killing twins, burning humans alive, osu caste system etc
Thank God for colonialism. It came with its evil too but it was a very lesser evil

2mch:
Not African, it was Igbos. Yoruba never sacrificed twins. They are elevated to deity status.

CodeTemplarr:
Imagine PSquare or any other twin in ancient igbo setting. Thank God for that woman.
The developers where lied to by the gods that twins are evil.

2mch:
Not African, it was Igbos. Yoruba never sacrificed twins. They are elevated to deity status.

jmoore:
Babablu bulabu
Babablu bulabu
Babablu bulabu

2mch:
Not African, it was Igbos. Yoruba never sacrificed twins. They are elevated to deity status.

jmoore:
Babablu bulabu
Babablu bulabu
Babablu bulabu

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thenationonlineng.net/intriguing-tales-as-ondo-community-marks-end-to-killing-of-twins/amp/

CodeTemplarr:
a very interesting 24 hours. Just hours ago, i was a PO ass lickér, now i am afonjastcally inclined.
Thank you thank you. Far too kind..

jmoore:
Use of English F9 because of tribal bigotry.

1800 is not 2025.

Ondo is Igboland too?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thenationonlineng.net/intriguing-tales-as-ondo-community-marks-end-to-killing-of-twins/amp/

MightySparrow:
Even in 1200s twins were not killed in Yoruba land.

Zionmdde:
To a large extent African traditions were purely evil
Killing twins, burning humans alive, osu caste system etc
Thank God for colonialism. It came with its evil too but it was a very lesser evil

AndroBlaze:
This is not actually 100% true. Historians have said a few Yoruba communities also left twins in the forest.

We also need to be thankful to Christianity and the likes of Mary Slessor.

By the way, did I misread? How did the woman die at 115 if she was born in the 1800s?


https://thenationonlineng.net/intriguing-tales-as-ondo-community-marks-end-to-killing-of-twins/

Neddyogu:
1800 ke? Madam Slessor stopped infanticide around 1870s and so by then this madam should be in her seventies naa. Unless they're telling us she was born in 1900, but then how come she's just 115 years old? Who calculate this thing?

Zionmdde:
To a large extent African traditions were purely evil
Killing twins, burning humans alive, osu caste system etc
Thank God for colonialism. It came with its evil too but it was a very lesser evil

Zionmdde:
To a large extent [b]African traditions [/b]were purely evil
Killing twins, burning humans alive, osu caste system etc
Thank God for colonialism. It came with its evil too but it was a very lesser evil

correctguy101:
See pesin...

Have ever researched the past of the wereys you're praising?

Every civilization experience such a time where barbarism and "crazy behavior" are seen as tradition. If you know about theirs, you would erase thoughts like these from ya mind.

Go figure history and stop gobbling any nonsense ya slave masters feed you.

Oya, slide go front..

compton11:
u realized African traditions is diverse and different?

OfficialP:
What has changed except the killing of twins.

Others are still existing