From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.
After blissful years in their youthful days when they eagerly supported each other to fulfil their emotional, psychological and spiritual needs, age is now tearing a set of female twins apart.
Obaapanin Adwoa Ataa Senior and her twin sister, Obaapanin Adwoa Ataa Junior, who are a little over 100 years old, and reside at Nzema, a Kumasi suburb, used to stay in the same compound where they were born, making it possible for them to share their concerns and support each other, including warding off their common enemies.
However, in their prime age, they have been separated and seldom see each other because they live in separate houses — about 500 meters away from each other — in the same community .
“We seldom see each other of late. This is because I cannot walk as briskly as I used to do and have to be supported by my grandchildren anytime I want to go out. This prevents me from seeing my sister regularly,” Obaapanin Adwoa Ataa Junior poured her heart to The Mirror in an interview at her residence at Nzema.
Between the two of them, they have 14 children, over 60 grandchildren and great grandchildren including a set of female twins.
“My great grandchild, Akosua Nyarko, is said to have given birth to a set of female twins. I was so elated when the news reached me because they were also born on Monday, just as we were, and I am praying that God blesses them with good health and wealth so that they can enjoy life to the full,” said elated Obaapanin Ataa Junior.
Around the surrounding communities at Nzema, the old ladies are said to be the oldest surviving twins.
Their eldest children are over 70 years.
According to Obaapanin Ataa Senior, she gave birth to two females who died in their infancy before giving birth to her son, Warrant Officer Elvis Akwaboah, who was with the Fourth Battalion in Kumasi.
“When I gave birth, my sister visited me regularly at Wawaase where by husband, Opanin Kwabena Akwaboa, and I resided. This was before she also married and later gave birth to her children,” she revealed.
Unlike her sister, all the six children of Obaapanin Ataa Junior are alive. The eldest is a farmer who is over 73 years.
Interestingly, the twins who were born to Obaapanin Yaa Frema, a native of Nzema, and Opanin Kwame Mensah, said they grew up at the time Prempeh I was brought to Kumasi from the Seychelles Islands where he was deported, prior to the Yaa Asantewaa war.
The senior of the twins said, “At that time, there was a rumour that by tradition, twins were supposed to be the wives of an Asantehene, but the fear was that, as soon as we marry him, we would never return to our family home again.
“This made us develop the fear of being taken away and, therefore, decided to hide in the bush to prevent us from marrying Nana Prempeh after his return to Kumasi.
“This also delayed our marriage because my husband, who had shown keen interest and affection for me, said he was also afraid to marry someone who was supposed to marry the Asantehene.”
Opanin Kwabena Akwaboa also fathered one of the highlife kings in Ghana, Kwabena Akwaboa of blessed memory.
The twins, who are staunch Methodists and were farmers in their youthful age, also said “we used to quarrel a lot when we were young, but after marriage, we became the closest of friends. Our children are also very close, and so are our grandchildren and great grandchildren”.
On whether they belonged to the twins association in Ghana, they said “we are not aware of such an association, but now that you are telling us, we will see what we will do. It is good for such an association be exist and we wish them well in all their endeavours”.
On how they had been able to outlive many of their neighbours, Obaapanin Ataa Senior explained, “We were active farmers and worked very hard to earn our living. My husband and I have a big cocoa farm around Bibiani and my sister was also a farmer.
Going to farm every day to work improved our health, so it is unfortunate that we can no longer go to farm as we used to do”.
She said as farmers they also enjoyed the fruits of their labour by eating fresh vegetables, fruits and food instead of buying food from vendors, some of which are contaminated.
“Beside the farming, we lived healthy lifestyles by refraining from immoral activities and did not drink any alcohol as some women are doing these days, so with this, God blessed us with good health,” she further explained.
Commenting on the healthy relationship between the sisters, WOI Elvis Akwaboah (retd), who is 71 years and the eldest of Obaapanin Ataa Senior’s surviving children, confirmed to The Mirror about the close knit relationship among the siblings.
“They have enjoyed life to the fullest and it is their healthy relationship that has drawn our cousins, nephews and nieces, as well as our grandchildren, closely together, making us the envy of other families,” he noted.
“Our siblings visit one another’s houses not only to engage in healthy conversation, but also initiate innovative ideas that would improve the lives of our generation”.
For his part, Mr Kwadwo Manu, who is 70 years and the second child of Obaapanin Ataa Junior was full of praise for The Mirror “for the publicity being offered my ageing parents”.
Stressing, he said, “When I heard that you were coming here, I put aside all my engagements so that I can support you to get all the necessary facts and figures to enhance your reportage.
“I hope you will extend this gesture to other twins who may need similar exposure because it is very rare in our part of the world to see twins enjoying life to the fullest as is happening to my twin mothers.”
No comments:
Post a Comment