Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, the last surviving female twin rescued by Scottish missionary Mary Slessor in Arochukwu, Abia State, over a century ago, has passed away at the age of 115.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on behalf of the family by her only surviving son, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke, on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
According to the statement, Madam Okereke, fondly known as Mama Nsu Bekee, and her twin sister, Mgbokwo, were born during a period when the birth of twins was regarded as taboo in the Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom and surrounding communities of the Lower Cross River region.
The birth took place around the early 1800s, during the era when twins were routinely killed and cast into the evil forest due to deep-seated cultural beliefs, just before Mary Slessor arrived in the region for her missionary work.
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It was recorded that Slessor led the campaign that outlawed the killing of twins in the area in 1876.
“The birth of Mgbafor and her twin sister, Mgbokwo, who passed on almost two decades ago, was not only attended to by Slessor and her team at their maternity at Obinagu, Amasu Village, Arochukwu, but the twins were subsequently adopted and fostered by Slessor herself,” the statement read.
The twin girls were among the earliest beneficiaries of Western education in the area, having been enrolled at Mary Slessor Primary School, Arochukwu (now known as Mary Slessor Secondary Technical School) under the direct care of the Scottish missionary.
“This resulted in the twins’ sound command of the English Language, hence the nickname of Madam Mgbafor, ‘Mama Nsu Bekee’ (Mama that speaks English),” Bishop Okereke noted.
He described his mother as “strong, always neatly dressed, and full of joy until her last moments before her demise on March 5, following a brief illness.”
Madam Okereke is survived by one son, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives. She had three children in total, a daughter and two sons.
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According to the family, a funeral service will be held in her honour on Saturday, August 30, at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, followed by her interment at the family compound in Amasu, Arochukwu.
