Calabar, Cross River State – June 12, 2025
The last surviving female twin rescued by Scottish missionary Mary Slessor has passed away at the age of 115, marking the end of a living link to one of Nigeria’s most transformative social reforms.
Madam Ekaete Udo, who hailed from Okoyong in present-day Cross River State, reportedly died peacefully in her sleep at her family home on Monday, surrounded by children and great-grandchildren.
Ekaete was believed to be one of the twins saved in the early 20th century when Mary Slessor famously fought against the ancient practice of killing twins — a cruel tradition rooted in superstition, which held that twins were evil or cursed. Her survival was a direct result of Slessor’s bold intervention and advocacy during her missionary work in the Calabar region.
Family members described Madam Ekaete as a “living testimony of mercy, courage, and history,” noting that she remained strong and mentally alert until her final days. She was also said to have lived a quiet life, often sharing stories of Mary Slessor’s kindness and her own journey through colonial and post-colonial Nigeria.
The Cross River State Government has expressed deep condolences to her family and announced plans to honour her legacy as part of efforts to preserve the state’s cultural and historical heritage.
A spokesperson from the Mary Slessor Foundation called her passing “the end of an era,” and emphasized that her life story serves as a reminder of how individual courage can alter cultural history.
Funeral arrangements are underway and are expected to draw dignitaries, historians, and missionaries from across Nigeria and beyond.