Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, believed to be the last surviving twin rescued by famed Scottish missionary Mary Slessor during her campaign against the killing of twins, has died at the age of 115.
Her death was confirmed in a statement released by her only surviving child, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke, and shared with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Thursday.
Born during a time when twin births were regarded as taboo and often met with infanticide in Arochukwu and other parts of the Lower Cross River region, Madam Mgbafor and her late twin sister, Mgbokwo, were among the children saved by Slessor’s pioneering efforts.
Mary Slessor, who arrived in Nigeria in the late 1800s, was instrumental in abolishing the killing of twins.
In 1876, she led a campaign that saw the outlawing of the practice and personally rescued numerous twins, including Mgbafor and her sister.
According to the statement, the twins were delivered at Slessor’s maternity home in Obinagu, Amasu Village, Arochukwu, and later adopted and raised by the missionary herself.
“They were not only delivered under Slessor’s care but also fostered by her,” the statement read in part.
The twins received formal education at the Mary Slessor Primary School—now Mary Slessor Secondary Technical School—in Arochukwu.
Mgbafor’s command of the English language earned her the nickname “Mama Nsu Bekee,” meaning “the mother who speaks English.”
Her son, Bishop Okereke, described her as a joyful, elegant woman who remained strong and cheerful until her passing on March 5 after a brief illness.
She is survived by her son, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family members.
Her funeral will take place on August 30, with a service at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, followed by interment at her family compound in Amasu, Arochukwu.
