62 years ago, the birth of a set of siamese twin made headlines on every news publication. Six decades later, the only surviving twin of the pair tells her story
When she was born July 25, 1953, former Miss Wariboko Davis made great news because she was conjoined with her sister. Newspapers in Nigeria and worldwide celebrated her birth just like they celebrated her survival after the surgery to separate them. Now Mrs. Wariboko Oki, she celebrated her 62 birthday recently and had a chat with Vanguard.
Read excerpts of her interview:
How do you really feel when you are recognized worldwide as Nigeria’s number one surviving Siamese twin?
I feel very good and thankful to God for keeping me alive all these years. God has been very faithful to me and with me because he has made me fulfill my life till now. All the people I have known are also thankful to God for my life and feel good that they know me. Indeed I thank God so much.
What do you recall of this your life from the early times. When did you begin to realize that you have a very peculiar life?
I started to know that I am peculiar from primary school. I think I was in primary one when I started noticing this peculiarity. I was six years old when people won’t let me be. They always tell me to lift my dress so they could see the scar on my chest and tummy. At a time, when the disturbance became almost unbearable, I started asking them to pay before I would do that. I have a classmate then Mrs Adegoke with whom I share all those fond memories of my childhood. Beyond that, I discovered that every one treated me differently and with a kind of peculiarity but I was not sure what that was about. Daddy and mummy Mr and Mrs Jituboh ( adopted parents) were very careful about my diet and about whatever they gave to me. Daddy would not want any one to touch me anyhow. Even when fellow children played with me and I was not happy, Daddy would warn such people to stop making me sad. Even at 62, Mr. and Mrs. Jituboh who raised me still treat me as that same baby I have always been to them since 1953. They still ask me whether I have eaten just like they did many years ago. To them, I am not 62 but still that Wariboko kid whom God gave to them in such circumstances. They have remained very caring parents to me and I won’t forget that.
What did they now tell you of your biological mum?
I heard that Veronica Davis, my mum hailed from Delta state. She was working for the UAC when she had me and my late twin sister. She later had another set of twins that died before having another baby who died with her on the same day. You see…my life is a big testimony of God’s awesome character. He kept me alive for a big purpose of continuous testimony and I know this very well.
Your biological dad…?
He also died. I did not really know him. He was of Ijaw tribe. The people I have come to know are Mr. and Mrs. Jituboh and the only sister I know is Mrs. Briggite Alli.
How do you really feel when you are recognized worldwide as Nigeria’s number one surviving Siamese twin?
I feel very good and thankful to God for keeping me alive all these years. God has been very faithful to me and with me because he has made me fulfill my life till now. All the people I have known are also thankful to God for my life and feel good that they know me. Indeed I thank God so much.
What do you recall of this your life from the early times. When did you begin to realize that you have a very peculiar life?
I started to know that I am peculiar from primary school. I think I was in primary one when I started noticing this peculiarity. I was six years old when people won’t let me be. They always tell me to lift my dress so they could see the scar on my chest and tummy. At a time, when the disturbance became almost unbearable, I started asking them to pay before I would do that. I have a classmate then Mrs Adegoke with whom I share all those fond memories of my childhood. Beyond that, I discovered that every one treated me differently and with a kind of peculiarity but I was not sure what that was about. Daddy and mummy Mr and Mrs Jituboh ( adopted parents) were very careful about my diet and about whatever they gave to me. Daddy would not want any one to touch me anyhow. Even when fellow children played with me and I was not happy, Daddy would warn such people to stop making me sad. Even at 62, Mr. and Mrs. Jituboh who raised me still treat me as that same baby I have always been to them since 1953. They still ask me whether I have eaten just like they did many years ago. To them, I am not 62 but still that Wariboko kid whom God gave to them in such circumstances. They have remained very caring parents to me and I won’t forget that.
What did they now tell you of your biological mum?
I heard that Veronica Davis, my mum hailed from Delta state. She was working for the UAC when she had me and my late twin sister. She later had another set of twins that died before having another baby who died with her on the same day. You see…my life is a big testimony of God’s awesome character. He kept me alive for a big purpose of continuous testimony and I know this very well.
Your biological dad…?
He also died. I did not really know him. He was of Ijaw tribe. The people I have come to know are Mr. and Mrs. Jituboh and the only sister I know is Mrs. Briggite Alli.
Read the full interview on Vanguard
