THE QUINTESSENTIAL TWINS: PROFESSOR T.O.T. OLOWOKURE AND RIGHT REVEREND J.O.K. OLOWOKURE
By, Seye Adetunmbi (Published in MINDSET, 2012 maiden edition of the book)
Giving birth to a child alone not to talk of twins is an evergreen miracle of God. When the twins are identical, it is a higher level of miracle. Raising the twins in the late 1920s that had prevalence of mortality challenges definitely remains a feat sanctioned by God. For the men to grow-up and stand out in the crowd as distinguished Nigerians is the icing of the cake by the God almighty. As such, the scholar and his twin brother, the Lord Bishop should be celebrated to serve as an inspiration to many people worldwide. Professor Theophilus Olatunji Taiwo Olowokure and Rt. Reverend Jacob Olabode Kehinde Olowokure were born on September 10, 1929. To formally mark their 80th birthday anniversary, thanksgiving service was held at The Cathedral Church of St. Mathew, Ijebu-Jesa their home town on December 19, 2009. Their 88th birthday fell on a Sunday on 10/9/17 during which they worshiped and gave thanks to God for the grace of being alive and standing on their feet. Certainly the two great men deserve to be celebrated for so many perceptible reasons. It takes the special grace of God for identical twins to celebrate together 88 years in good health and remain happily married to very caring and virtuous wives. They lost their father when they were young and through hard work and persistence they got to the pinnacle of their chosen careers respectively. Apparently, what they both achieved must have been born out of shared innate drive to succeed and excel by remaining focused on what they have set out to do.
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| Prof Olowokure & Bishop Olowokure |
Prof T.O.T. Olowokure obtained his first degree through correspondence and continued in his academic pursuit to become Professor of Accounting at University of Maiduguri where he served diligently for 31 years. A testimony of how he made the difference is evident in the number of people who traveled such a long distance to celebrate with the distinguished academic at Ijebu-Jesa, in Osun State of Nigeria in 2009. According to the Professor, as presented by the Most Reverend Samuel Abe (Provost of Bishop Olowokure for 6 years), Archbishop of Ekiti Anglican Province who delivered the sermon, he had so many things in common with his twin brother, Kehinde, the Lord Bishop. Distance notwithstanding, there were instances whereby he would put on a dress or could be having his meals and when his twin got in touch on the phone, they would be putting on the same kind of dress or had just eaten the exact kind of food. They even suffered the same kind of ailment. As a matter of fact, the day he was being treated in Lagos, his twin’s same ailment started at his base!
Further recalling when they were young couples, there was a day a wife was discussing with one of them thinking she was talking to her husband. The twin brother was attentive and when her actual husband later stepped-in, the twin then told her that you can now continue the discussion with your husband. There and then, the wife said, she must find a way to differentiate her husband.
I was in a similar predicament 1999 when my mother and I attended the 70th birthday anniversary and retirement thanksgiving service of Right Reverend Olowokure at the same Church. I just saw the side of Professor Olowokure, I thought it was my Godfather, the Lord Bishop and I went straight to greet him and exchanged pleasantries. Had it been my Godfather robed, I wouldn’t have had mistaken identity. The Professor obviously must have seen several of such mix-up and misplaced identity he was warm to me, yet the brief encounter puzzled me until my mother prompted me that my godfather had an identical twin that I have not met until that day.
When I set out for Ijebu-Jesa, what registered in my memory was the celebration of the 80th birthday anniversary of my godfather, Rt. Reverend Jacob Olabode Kehinde Olowokure. It was when I got to the Church that it occurred to me that the milestone must be celebrated with his identical twin brother, Professor Theophilus Olatunji Taiwo Olowokure. I must say it gives me a great pleasure to write briefly here for now about the Lord Bishop Olowokure who was the first vicar of my parents’ parish, St Michael’s Anglican Church, Ifaki-Ekiti. It was his first formal posting after qualifying as an ordained priest, while the parish too, before his arrival, had been shepherd by catechists. It was during the less than one year that he spent there that I was born in July and Right Reverend & Mrs Olowokure undertook the role of my godparents. They too had a baby girl, Yetunde few weeks after in August and the two babies were called “husband and wife” which further endeared the two families to each other till date. After leaving Ifaki, Right Reverend Olowokure gained admission into the University for a Degree Programme and subsequent to graduation he combined the clergy work with a teaching appointment and school administration. He was the Principal of Ado Grammar School in the 1970s. In 1976 he became an Archdeacon; he later became a Bishop and served at Akoko Diocese where he retired.
1. 2010 L-R: Mrs Kehinde Olowokure, Seye & Labo Adetunmbi & Rt Rev Olowokure at Ifaki-Ekiti 2. Godson flanked by Godparents at Ijebu-Ijesha in 2011
As a little boy, I didn’t get to know my godparents because they left Ifaki when I was a toddler. It was during one of their many stopovers or visits to our house in the late 1960s that I got to formally meet and know mummy and daddy Olowokure. Of course virtually all family functions, baba and mama Olowokure would be there to support my beloved parents, their friend. One unique thing about Right Reverend & Mrs Olowokure is the deep sincere love for the people that come their way. Everywhere they served, they often left lasting mark which endeared them to so many people. This is why each time they have anything to celebrate, there will be people around them from virtually all the places where they have worked.
As for me I cherish so much how he stands in the fatherly role since the transition of my father in 1990 ago together with my godmother in line with the teachings and principles behind baptism of toddlers and the role of godparents in the Anglican Communion. When I was honored in January 2008, he did not only come to celebrate with the family at Ifaki, he gave me a priceless gift of a combined English and Yoruba Holy Bible; likewise mummy gave me items I treasure. I often looked forward to stopover at their place each time I traveled through Ijebu-Jesa. I thank my parents for the godparents chosen for me; I could not have had a better godfather. As far as I’m concerned, Right Reverend Olowokure is the best godfather in the world. To the distinguished celebrants, I wish them more years in good health in Jesus name. Amen.
Ajinde ara a ma je.
L-R: Seye Adetunmbi, Bishop Olowokure and Professor Olowokure
My beloved godfather, Baba, Right Rev. J. K. Olowokure joined the saints triumphant on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. To God be the glory that he was survived by his children. May God uphold his identical twin brother and grant him fortitude to bear the loss of his cherished uterine brother and best friend of over 90 years.
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