Encounter with Sokoto’s oldest known twins
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For the wives of the twins, it is simply unique.
Mariya, wife of Hassan, said it has been an exceptional experience having one of the twins as her husband. She said all the things both do are collective, noting that they even go to toilet together.
She said when she was newly married, she found it difficult to recognize who among the two is her husband, but later started recognizing them by their voices.
Similarly, Lauratu, Hussaini’s wife said: “At the initial stage of my marriage, I couldn’t recognize my husband when he is with his twin brother, except if he comes to me.
“I appreciate the way they conduct themselves, dressing in same type of clothes. I also admire their mode of dressing and the unity surrounding their existence, they are very special persons.”
Fadimatu, wife of an elder brother to the twins, said she knew them as toddlers and that they related very well with people and always move together.
Aishatu, who is wife to another elder brother of the twins, says: “They remain together even when sick. They dress same, they even ride same vehicle or use same model. Everything about them spells unity.”
Aminu Hassan, son to one of the twins, said this about their fathers: “It is very interesting staying with them. The way they stick to each other is amazing. If one is sick, it will be as if both of them are sick. Once one of them is sick, none of them would go out. They are always there for each other. If they are going to toilet, they go together; just to go and urinate, they would follow each other to make sure the other does it peacefully.”
He said: “I remember one day when Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau wanted to test them, he brought two bottles of soft drinks – one Coca- Cola and the other Fanta – and gave to them. Each took one and started drinking but as soon as the content got to half they swapped the bottles. We keep wondering how the other would survive if one of them should die? Only God knows.”
It is not only family members who spot their exceptional camaraderie. Hassan Abi, a neighbour of the twins, also pointed to their strong bond. He recalled that the Sultan of Sokoto once gave them two different brocade of 10 yards each. Instead of each person to sew his own cloth, they decided to share in a way that each has five yards from his brother’s brocade, which they sew and wore uniformly.
He added: “the twins live peacefully with all manner of people in the area; they don’t interfere in other people’s business which endears them to all. I admire their mode of dressing like all other people.”
Another neighbour Hassan Aliyu also said: “the twins are just like parents to us and they treat us like their own children. They don’t discriminate, which makes it easy for the young and the old to interact with them freely. We like their lifestyle; it is a role model to the upcoming ones.”
“We stand out in Sokoto because we remain united. You hardly can see one of us without the other,” said the spectacular brothers.