Eighty-two-year-old Taiwo and Kehinde Obasa recently shared the story of their longevity with Punch Newspaper, see excerpts below:
Tell us briefly about yourselves.
Kehinde: I am Kehinde Obasa. We were born in Iwokun-Nla village near Obada Oko in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Taiwo: Kehinde, you also bear Francis, you did not add the name. I am Emmanuel Taiwo Obasa. We were born on February 2, 1934.
How did you know you were born in that year?
Kehinde: Though our parents did not receive western education, the date was documented by someone.
Taiwo: It was our mother’s brother who wrote down
the date of our birth. He was educated and on the day we were born, he
came around and wrote down the date.
Who were your parents?
Kehinde: Our father was Oke Obasa. He was a farmer while our mother was Olaegbe.
Taiwo: Our father had only one wife. Before we were
born, we had four older siblings. After our birth, our parents gave
birth to another child called Idowu. He retired as a senior officer in
the Nigeria Customs Service before he died. He died at 76.
Which schools did you attend?
Kehinde: We attended Iwokun-Nla Modern School, Ogun State, where we studied for Standard Six.
Taiwo: We started the school in 1939 and after we
left there, we wanted to further our studies. But our parents said they
had no money to send us beyond the Standard Six. We tried to proceed
further but since there was nobody to assist us, we had no choice than
to look for work to do.
Where did you work?
Kehinde: I worked with a company in Lagos. The firm
produced house keys. I worked there for many years before I left. Before
I joined the firm, I had worked with a company which produced metal
pots. During this period, we had lost our parents.
Taiwo: We decided to learn some trades before
working in companies. I worked at ICI Imperial Chemical Industry in
Apapa, Lagos. I was there for some years before I left the place in
1972. When I left the place, I ventured into buying and selling of
household products.
Were the two of you married at the time?
Kehinde: It was Taiwo who married first. I was still
busy trying to save money to cater for my needs and get ready for
marital life when he got married.
Taiwo: Yes, it is true. I got married in 1964 and he married two years after.
Did you at anytime want to be married at the same time?
Kehinde: No, there was no time we planned for that.
Taiwo: We did not. It is our desire to do things when they suit each of us.
Were your wives able to identify you separately during courtship?
Kehinde: We had no time to bring our women together or for them to be close to each other, till we got married to them.
Taiwo: We did not live in the same area at the time
we got married. I saw the person I married in the Bariga area of Lagos
State when I was staying there. Kehinde saw the person he married in
Agege, Lagos, when he was living in the area. I must add that when our
wives started relating, they were initially unable to differentiate
between ’June and July,’ I mean between the two of us. Later, it was
easy for them to identify us after marriage since they have been
familiar with us individually.
What are the things you share or do together?
Kehinde: When we were young we used to wear same
clothes. But when we became adults, we only wear same clothes when we
have to attend some social functions.
Taiwo: During our school days, we wore similar
clothes and shared many things together. Our teachers and school mates
liked to tease us by calling us twins. That often made us swollen
headed.
Since you are identical, did you ever experience any case of anybody mistaking one for the other?
Kehinde: Yes, we had such an experience. One of my bosses in a company I once worked mistook Taiwo for me.
Taiwo: What happened was this. I was driving a cab
sometime in the past. One day, one of Kehinde’s bosses was among the
passengers in the vehicle but I did not know him. When others paid, he
refused to pay but asked me if I did not recognise him. Since I did not
know him, I insisted on him paying me. He did not want to pay but I
stood my ground. He eventually paid and left in annoyance. When he got
to the office, I learnt he went to report Kehinde to the general manager
that he was engaging in private work besides the office duties. Kehinde
was surprised by the accusation and said he was not into such practice
and the man narrated what happened in the morning of that day. That was
when he told them that he is a twin and they asked him to bring me to
convince them. The man and the general manager were surprised when they
saw me. His boss was not even able to differentiate between us when I
eventually came. They had concluded to sack him but for the fact that we
are twins.
Who is gentler between the two of you because Kehinde appears reserved?
Kehinde: I only know that we have some different
habits. Sometimes, we agree on some issues and make same decisions. I do
not like cracking jokes or making jest with people outside. But Taiwo
likes doing that. I do not take offence with him on that because even
though we were born same day, our characters cannot be the same.
Taiwo: I like cracking jokes but Kehinde does not
play too much outside. I enjoy discussing politics especially current
issues. I always speak my mind on politicians who are doing well for the
people and those who have failed them.
Do people often get attracted to you to the extent of giving you preferential treatment?
Kehinde: We get favours from a lot of people. Many
look at us with admiration when we go out especially when they know our
ages. We are not new to compliments and special treatment from people
particularly when we visit a place and stay there for some time.
Taiwo: I recall a time we attended a social event
and the celebrator started introducing us to some of the guests. Some of
them came to where we sat to speak with us and they gave us gifts. Last
year, we took a sick family member to the General Hospital in
Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos State. The matron was very happy to see us
and wanted to know if we are twins because, according to her, she also
has twins. She prayed that her twins would live long like us and we
prayed for them too.
Do you have preference for the same food?
Kehinde: I like pap and tea.
Taiwo: It is not only Kehinde that likes pap. I also take it and enjoy Quaker oats too. I like solid food such as eba.
What favourite drink does each person prefer?
Kehinde: I used to take beer when I was young but I prefer taking stout now. I take a bottle a day. I do not take it in excess.
Taiwo: It is the same with me. I enjoy taking beer. I drink in moderation like Kehinde. I have been taking it since 10 years ago.
Don’t your children complain about your consumption of beer?
Kehinde: They would not want to stop us since they know that we do not take it in excess.
Taiwo: Our children do not complain that we take
beer. Besides, if we attend any social event and we are served the
drink, we do not take more than one bottle each.
Do you have children who are twins?
Both: No
Do any of them have twins?
Kehinde: No, none of our children has twins. We really would have loved to have them give birth to twins.
Taiwo: For now, there are no twins among our
grandchildren. But maybe one of our children will give birth to twins
tomorrow. We cannot say, probably, they may come from one of our
grandchildren.
Are you surprised that there are no twins among your grandchildren?
Kehinde: I am not. God is the one who knows why it is so.
Taiwo: I think about that, it is God who has the final decision. He decides what pleases Him.
How close are your children?
Kehinde: They are very close because they know that
their fathers are also very close as twins. I have seven children— four
boys and two girls.
Taiwo: Yes, Kehinde is right. Our children and their wives are very close. I have five surviving children—four girls and a boy.
How do you relax?
Kehinde: I relax by sleeping. I was relaxing when
Taiwo came to wake me up that you were around for the interview. That is
my own way of relaxation. I have a siesta every day.
Taiwo: I relax by taking a nap after a shower. I
also like watching television but not for long because I will start
dozing off when I watch it for more than an hour.
Do you exercise?
Kehinde: Yes, I take a walk within the vicinity of our area.
Taiwo: I take a walk too but I also jog to keep fit.
We do not take a walk or jog together because whenever I want to engage
in exercises, Kehinde may be busy with another thing.
Where are your wives?
Kehinde: They live with us.
Taiwo: We live together in the same house since we built the house.
Do you live in the same house?
Kehinde: Yes we do.
Taiwo: That is the truth.
Whose idea was it that you should live together?
Kehinde: It was the idea of both of us. We built
the house (of about 10 rooms) together. Some of the children were born
in the places we were living before completing the house. Others were
also born in this place. We have been living together since we built the
house.
Taiwo: It was someone close to us who told us about a
vacant land many years ago. We showed interest in it and contributed
money to buy it. We also decided that each of us could buy land
elsewhere to build whatever the person desires after we had completed
the house.
Was there anytime you had disagreements over it for any reason?
Kehinde: There was no time we had such disagreement because we are very close.
Taiwo: Just as Kehinde said, there was nothing like
that at any time. After we completed the house, other housing projects
we did were carried out separately.
Tell us your experience of the civil war.
Kehinde: We only heard of how the Biafran and the Nigerian soldiers fought at the time.
Taiwo: We did not have any direct experience of the war. We were in the South-West when the war was going on.
Did you both know that you would live long?
Kehinde: In our family, people live long. That is the reason we knew that we would be old.
Taiwo: Our mother lived for 107 years before she
died. Our father was over 80 before his death. We knew that we would
live long. We knew that we would not die young.
Since you are close, would you wish to die same day?
Kehinde: We do not know when we are going to die, so we cannot decide whether we want to die same day.
Taiwo: I think that is for God to decide.
Do you buy things for each other?
Kehinde: Our children ensure that they do the same
things for us. During any festive period, they buy the same clothing
material for us. They did same during our 80th birthday celebration.
Taiwo: It is our children who do that. Whenever any
of our children goes anywhere and buys anything for one of us, the child
will make sure he or she buys same thing for the other. For example, if
Kehinde’s child sees anything and buys for him, the child will also buy
for me too. If that thing is only one, he or she will rather not buy
it. They care so much for us.
What advice do you have for younger ones?
Kehinde: Younger ones should make a good use of any
opportunity that comes their way. It will be a good thing for them to
know that any chance they make use of wisely today will be of immense
benefit to them in future.
Taiwo: They should be patient in life and walk on the path of honour.
What differences have you both noticed during your time and now?
Kehinde: There were many companies in Ikeja during our time but the firms have either folded up or relocated to another country today.
Taiwo: Things were easy in the past. Youths got jobs
they preferred during our time. They had opportunities to choose where
to work. Adults like us were adequately catered for. But that is not the
situation now. Things have changed. Nobody cares for the elderly
nowadays. The little education we had was through the free education
policy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the defunct Western Region.
What are your regrets?
Kehinde: I have no regrets.
Taiwo: I also have no regrets. We are happy with
what God has done for us. We have good children and we are surrounded by
grandchildren. We have peace of mind.
What is the secret of the good health you both have at 82?
Kehinde: It is God. It is not by any food or drink.
Taiwo: I think it is because we also refrain from unhealthy habits even when we were still young. We shunned bad habits from childhood.
Whose decision always rules during arguments?
Kehinde: It is Taiwo’s. Like they say, ‘We can be
equally born and not be equally talented.’ When we argue on any matter, I
allow his submission to rule.
Taiwo: I do not accept it when I know that I am being led to a path I do not like. I know I like arguments.
Do you go to the hospital?
Kehinde: Yes, I do, but only for a regular checkup and nothing else.
Taiwo: That is what I also go to the hospital to do.
What do the two of you do now?
Kehinde: We have a farmland which we cultivate.
Taiwo: We plant seasonal crops which we know are in high demand.