Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, fondly known as Mama Nsu Bekee (Mother Who Speaks English), and believed to be the last surviving female twin rescued by Scottish missionary Mary Slessor over a century ago, has passed away at the age of 115.
Her death was confirmed in a statement issued by her only surviving son, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke, and made available to journalists in Umuahia on Thursday.
Mgbafor and her twin sister, Mgbokwo, were born in the early 1800s during a dark era in Arochukwu, Abia State, when the birth of twins was considered a taboo. At that time, newborn twins were often killed and discarded in the forest, a harmful cultural practice common across communities in the Lower Cross River region.
Mary Slessor, a pioneering missionary who arrived in the area in 1876, famously campaigned against the killing of twins and is credited with saving the lives of many, including Mgbafor and her sister. According to the family, the twins were not only delivered under the care of Slessor and her team at their maternity clinic in Obinagu, Amasu Village, but were also later adopted and raised by the missionary herself.
The statement noted that the rescued twins received early formal education at Mary Slessor Primary School, Arochukwu—now Mary Slessor Secondary Technical School—where they came under the direct tutelage of Scottish missionaries.
“Mama was known for her excellent command of English, which earned her the nickname Mama Nsu Bekee,” the statement read. “She remained remarkably strong, joyful, and impeccably dressed until her peaceful passing on March 5, after a brief illness.”
Madam Mgbafor will be laid to rest on Saturday, August 30, at her family compound in Amasu, Arochukwu, following a funeral service at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.
She is survived by one son, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a host of extended relatives. Her twin sister, Mgbokwo, passed away nearly two decades ago. The family and community remember her as a living symbol of the legacy of Mary Slessor and the resilience of a generation shaped by profound transformation.
NAN
