Last Twin Rescued by Mary Slessor Dies at 115 in Arochukwu

The historic Amasu Village in Arochukwu, Abia State, is in mourning following the passing of Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, believed to be the last surviving twin rescued by legendary Scottish missionary, Mary Mitchell Slessor, in 1914. She died at the age of 115.

According to the Okereke family, Madam Mgbafor and her late twin sister, Madam Mgbokwo, were abandoned in an evil forest shortly after birth—victims of the once-widespread belief among locals that twins were a curse. At the time, the killing or abandonment of twins was a deeply rooted cultural practice in Arochukwu and other parts of the Lower Cross River Region.

Mary Slessor, a Presbyterian missionary who arrived in Arochukwu on August 5, 1876, intervened in the case and rescued the twins. She nurtured and adopted them, placing them in a maternity home she established in Obinagu, Amasu Village, and later ensured they received formal education.

The twins attended Mary Slessor Primary School—now Mary Slessor Secondary Technical School—under the care of Scottish missionaries. Madam Mgbafor earned the nickname “Mama Nsu Bekee” for her fluency in English, a legacy of her missionary schooling.

Her twin sister, Madam Mgbokwo, passed away in 2005 at the age of 95. She never married and left no children behind. Madam Mgbafor, however, lived a long and vibrant life and was remembered by family members as strong, cheerful, and always neatly dressed until her recent brief illness.

She is survived by her son, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke JP, a Pentecostal bishop. Her funeral has been scheduled for Saturday, August 30, 2025, at her family compound in Amasu, Arochukwu, with a service to be conducted by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.

Madam Mgbafor’s life is regarded by many as a living testament to the impact of Mary Slessor’s humanitarian work in southern Nigeria and the transformation of cultural perceptions surrounding twin births.