OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI 
…our graves’ ready, we’d love to die same time, buried beside each other
Twins are great gifts from God. They’re often regarded as dynamic duo. Adedeji Taiwo and Adebola Kehinde Solarin, both shared the same cord of birth and from then, they have not departed from each other. By their narration, they seem to have been ‘magical’ identical twins from cradle. Four months ago, they marked their 80th birthday anniversary, where they were full of gratitude to God for preserving their lives. In a chat with OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI-SOLANKE, they speak about their dynamics of life and how destiny has helped to shape their existence
They are identical twins in every way. They not only dress in uniform but share same dress, shirts and even underwear. Their ideology of life never differs. They agree on same opinion. In fact, they maintain same account from their teenage age-1965-2025! Even number plates of their cars bear same initials- A. Solarin.
Their differences are very insignificant and that comes in terms of food and sometimes, choice of place to visit together. They are mostly always together at every point in time.
A day spent with them reveals their pleasant and childish sides, which they unconsciously displayed. Their lives is an eloquent testimony to the saying that, “elders become children in their twilight years.” Pa. Taiye and Kehinde jokingly struggled for a bottle of Pepsi, while granting the interview to Sunday Telegraph. One claimed he brought it from the fridge; the other said but he opened it. Well, they both drank from the bottle till the content finished. The octogenarian twins still do some house chores by themselves like ironing of their clothes, cooking and keeping the house clean. They told Sunday Telegraph that, that is their own way of keeping and shedding weight off their bodies. They added that sometime, they drive round town to keep tab on their driving skills. According to them, when they feel the need to socialise, they go to their family recreational club (Lagos Country Club in Ikeja GRA) where they interact and play Table Tennis game with their friends.
“We don’t drink and we are very choosy about foods. We only take Pepsi and bean cake (akara) at the club but if it is our Surulere club, we manage to eat something that we can relate with because we know the source like who prepared it and method of preparing the food. Otherwise, we prefer to prepare our foods by ourselves,” Pa. Taiye told Sunday Telegraph.
As a matter of fact, they are men of many parts. They both had their early education in Ijebu and Lagos before travelling out to further their education in the United States of America. They both returned to the country in the early 80s.
Call it destiny or fate, they had always worked same place together, starting from Dunlop Nigeria in the 80s, when Taiye returned first and months later, Kehinde joined him.
They said although they are not related with the late social critic and founder of May Flower school, Tai Solarin, they are related character-wise and, “we are well known for that. When we met him, we both adopted each other.” Pa. Kehinde said.
Pa Kehinde said further that they agreed to be related with the late social critics because, “he was very good and we too are pure at heart, in the sense that he says it as it is. We don’t say what we are not sure of. We have similarities of character. Ironically, most of our friends schooled in that school- Mayflower. The first students of Mayflower School were in 1956 and the first senior prefect happened to be our friend. We shared same values of life; values like, ‘do not call black white, do not steal, do not take what does not belong to you.’ All thanks to our great grandmother, who taught us all these values when bringing us up because we lost our own mother at a very tender age. “She always stressed that we shouldn’t steal or tell lies,” Pa. Kehinde said.
Growing up together
We grew up together, been always doing same thing and saving together. Like I said earlier, we were brought up together. Thanks to our great grandmother, who advised us a lot and we still make use of those advices till date- very useful. Even when we were separated because of school then, we let our grandmother’s teaching still be our precept in our minds. From our childhood till date, we don’t have anything separately. Anything that belongs to either of us, belongs to both of us. Will you also believe that we have always maintained same account since 1965 to date 2025! No separate account anywhere, no secret between us,” Pa. Taiye emphasised.
Education
Pa Kehinde explained here to Sunday Telegraph: “When we grew up, we travelled to the US to further our education, especially as we had role models in some people like the late Tai Solarin, the Oyewoles, the academicians of Abeokuta, one of them was the director of WAEC at that time and a scientist. The second one was the director of a secondary school at Victoria Island. So, we wanted to be known like those mentioned. Taiye went to the US first because it was too sure that he won’t disappoint as that was how we were both raised. And truly, shortly after he settled down in America, he sent for me. In America, we were in same Junior college. Then, I moved to another state in the US-Illinois. He joined me in Southern Illinois University. We graduated, although he graduated before me with associate degree. From there, we transferred to St, Thomas University, a Catholic University. We wanted to attend University of Minnesota but it was too big a school that if one was not smart enough, he would get confused in the school. It was a school of about 200 students in a class for about 50mins teaching.
Pa. Kehinde continued that, “at St.Thomas, we were not only recognised, we were loved and cherished, perhaps because we were twins. Taiye graduated ahead of me. In fact, on the day of his graduation, some Nigerians wanted to get me a gown to take picture together with my twin. I refused because that would be like packaging lies and I wouldn’t dare do that. We were not brought up that way. Our grandmother and great grandmother taught us well “don’t lie, don’t take what does not belong to you.” That, we made sure we don’t toy with it. I graduated a year after he graduated from same school. Luckily, it was luck for us because it gave us an edge in labour market. My second got a job in Dunlop Nigeria,” Pa Kehinde said.
Again, as fate or destiny has always been guarding and leading their steps.
Pa.Kehinde explained that as he arrived Nigeria, two days after, he a paid a courtesy visit to his twin brother at Dunlop Nigeria where he was mistaken for Taiye. He said he tried to explain that he wasn’t Taiye but the manpower director just kept calling Taiye! Taiye! He went speaking as if he was Taiye and together they walked into his twin brother’s office and everyone there got confused. Then, Taiye did the proper introduction. Then, the manpower director said, ‘well, there is labour requisition on his table for management Trainee and insisted that Kehinde must be one of them and that was how, “I got to work there. So, he asked that I must be one of them. I initially rejected but later got employed there and we did our best.
“From there, we went to ITT Nigeria. Taiye was the first to go to ITT but the staff were already asking for Kehinde, taken it that that is the norm.” Pa. Kehinde said.
But Kehinde said he didn’t want to go to ITT but another Lagos State government official approached him for the post of a Principal Admin officer.
They told Sunday Telegraph that they have never experienced where they were mistaken for each other because they have same character.
Pa Kehinde continued, “whatever you hear from Taiye is what you will hear from me Kehinde.” You can hardly see the difference between us but there is a dark pimples on Taiye’s face which people use to differentiate us but during our childhood, perhaps yes, when some people will call me Taiye and Kehinde to Taiye and we answer and go on that errand or give response where necessary without debunking that I am not Taiye or Kehinde; so much so that even if you met the person you wanted to talk to, whether Kehinde or Taiye, it will be same response. But those who know us very well differentiate easily. That became easy for us because we share same behaviour and core values like, trust and honesty, ‘no lies, stealing, hanky-panky among others. So, the issue of differentiating us became unnecessary even though we dress same way, maintain same hair cut. And that has been our motto, which guarded us till this moment of our lives. We dare not destroy the trust people have in us. Even late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his wife and other family members attested to our personality, shrouded in honesty and trust since 1965, days of our secondary schools. We simply share the same character. Those who know us don’t call us separately. They address us singularly as ‘Tai-Kehin’. Then, anyone one of us can answer and respond to inquiries or go on errand. So, that solves the problem o identity. Sunday Elefudua, first prefect of May flower secondary school, Dr. Gbenga Oredeyin, who happened to be our very close friend was a student of May Flower from form 1-5, was a very brilliant person. They never call us separately, rather, call us, ‘Tai-Kehin’.
“I (Kehinde) used to be in the Personnel department- hiring and firing but no one has come to say we were bad. Whenever people came across us, it is either to say one favour we have done them. Regarding the hiring and firing, before I carry out any disciplinarian acts, even the offender will admit that he merits the disciplinarian measure. And with me, no double standard. I had the condition of service on my table. So, when you err and got invited to my office, I ask you to read it yourself and judge the consequence. And when Taiye was also in the personnel, two of us always fight for people and they always come back to thank you us for favour done to them but when they deserve punishment, they accept”, Pa Kehinde added.
Identity
The identity we enjoy is the testimony of people about us to our faces. We are happy giving happiness to other people around us. That is our strength and joy. For all the places that we worked together, we never got our records tainted with bad testimonies.
After our secondary school education, he got a job at the one and only death and birth Registry on mainland, Simpson Street. At the point of his employment at Alagbon, Ministry of Internal Affairs, he was chastised to always remember the child of whom he is. He was charged to carry out his duty with fairness, truth and transparency because that office was a sensitive place. But when my second got there, he sanitised the office, got rid of sharp practices and unethical behaviours. I also worked in that premises; I was a public health man. While both of us were working in same premises but different agencies, we assisted people and discharged our duties with fairness, compassion and sensitivity.”
Did destiny, fate and cord of your birth also play roles on your path of life…
Absolutely yes! It was 100 per cent destiny! It played major roles on our path and we are grateful to Almighty for that.
Like we said, Taiye worked with the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs while I worked with Public Health Department of the Lagos City Council. Same premises. That was destiny.
Pa. Kehinde said, “If not for destiny, as brothers, we don’t know how it could had been for us. But fate always brings us to work together and school together. Our employment together was not nepotism but purely on merit with the aid of destiny. It was either Taiye or me got employed at a place first, destiny would avail the second person opportunity to work there or the employer like that of Dunlop Nigeria, to request the hand of the second person to join in their work environment. And we did enjoy but we always carry out our duties without interfering with each other. Like that of ITT Nigeria, late MKO Abiola saw us together in his house during a party and by Monday, the manager asked my second to invite me to come work in ITT Nigeria because the position then was very delicate and sensitive one. It was on money and recruitment-Treasury. So, they asked my brother to bring in a person that he could trust to handle such position. It was handling of N30,000 daily, which is like N300 million today. And to the glory of God, we left ITT Nigeria without stain. The person, who took over from us was less qualified because he was a school principal. I opposed it. But when he eventually got employed, his first mission was to embezzle N100,000. As for us, we preserved our graduate cap and name.
Pa, Taiye said that, destiny did not stop there at all. It still played out when both late Chief Awolowo and Lateef Jakande were looking for us as twins to come work for them. Jakande called us to come work with the Lagos State government but he warned that he didn’t want us to work in same office. We agreed.”
Pa Taiye narrated that, “what seconded that destiny was honesty, which helped to sustain us. When ITT Nigeria relieved us of our job because we disagreed with late MKO Abiola on principles, it was in our favour. It was between UPN and NPN; you see NPN had no manifesto. They were only talking about one Nation….UPN had manifesto, which had been practiced before, like free education, employment, health, housing.
“Even destiny and honesty played out in the number plates of our cars-OGR was the number plate of my two official cars and OGR was also the number plate of my second (that was IJebu number plate then).
Pa Kehinde said; “Our honesty played out so well that people, staff clamoured for our reinstatement. I was the one paying wages then. I had millions of naira in the vault which was in my capacity. There were several unclaimed wages and they were untampered with. God has blessed us so much, so that when people came around us to tempt us to steal, we always resisted it. Honesty pays! We believe in Karma, that it will always catch up with us. We also cherish our name-SOLARIN.
Kehinde told Sunday Telegraph that, “look, there are lots of opportunities here in Nigeria for those who know their way around it. Look at the Alade market for instance, we built (supervised the building), the sales was for N1,000 per shop. We never collected bribe nor deprived anyone who could afford to buy it then. Even Mile 12 then, we sold a square metre for N5. We believe that, that was our way to help humanity- by not abusing and corrupting our offices.” They both told Sunday Telegraph that Kehinde worked in LSDPC and Taiye worked in LSTC, Lagos State government.
Special Twin Language
“We don’t communicate anything that people cannot hear or know. We are honest and open to a fault,” said Taiye.
Twin’s rituals
Kehinde said: “Yes we do! We have twin rituals that we carry out, initially annually but later, graduated to more regularly depending on how we feel. We cook beans, kill cow, cook for people and invite people to wine and dine with us. It is a traditional practice that has been in existence even before we came to the world. Our parents observed it for us when we were little and when we grew up, we continued from there because we believe in it. It doesn’t harm us or anyone around us. It is rather a blessing. And it is not an abominable act but mere celebration of our being. We also do sara ibeji, meaning twins alms giving, cooking for large people to eat and as a point of prayer contact for those who wish to have twins. If it is in Ijebu, the masquerades would come out for us. They would perform masquerade dance and prayers for us.”
Family bonds
Unfortunately, Kehinde lost his wife a year and half ago while Taiye’s wife is based in America.
Pa Keinde; “We started with them when we were young, got married to them and took them to America with us. Unfortunately, our wives do not share same bond like we do. But God really made destiny to make life easy for us, to help us navigate our wives and children. Ironically, my wife (Kehinde’s wife) was also a twin. She was Taiye. I love it so because I thought it would become hereditary.”
The children
Pa Taiye explained, “We don’t have same number of children. Unfortunately, our children don’t share same bond as my twin brother and I do. We observed that children of nowadays lack affection and empathy. We really love to see them dress in uniform like we do, share same value and friendship like we are doing but we realised that our children are in different world entirely. In fact, their body language depicts that we don’t feed them. As such, they can behave the way they like.
Pa Kehinde said that that, “my twin brother, Taiye, has two children and I have four children. I will say that in that aspect, we don’t share similarities and that is not our making but that of Allah, who giveth all things. We believe strongly in God and His will for us.
Pa. Taiye continued that, “all our children are abroad and not willing to come home. Even us too will not encourage them to come home yet. Although they still have the mind to come to Nigeria but we don’t push it with them.
But we are lucky that they take good care of us. They got us drivers, even when we can still drive. In fact, we feel more comfortable when we drive ourselves. There will be no shouting and too much supervision”, he said.
Disagreements
Pa. Kehinde told Sunday Telegraph that “we do disagree but people don’t know. The luck we have is when we disagree, we quickly come to resolution and agree. We concede to each other. We don’t struggle for anything between us. Like when we go to the club (Lagos Country Club), he would tease me to spend and I would say I don’t want to, because of the nature of the suya for instance, but there would be meeting point we would spend the money. It could be on a bottle of Pepsi or some other things.
He continued, “truth is Taiye loves me more than he loves himself and I love him more than I love myself. Two of us always look out for each other. But sometimes, we wear different dresses out; not all the time we are in uniform. It depends on our moods.
Let me tell you how we were able to handle our disagreement. We always buy our things in double. For instance, if I bought two cars, I don’t choose first, I invite the wife of Taiye (verse versa) to come choose first. Then, I take the one left. That way, there won’t be disagreement.”
Disagreement between the wives
Pa Taiye; “Of course, it is only normal for them as women that they disagree between themselves but we were able to handle it. We don’t allow them to report each other to us. They should find the middle ground to solve it and they always did. Otherwise, they may have to visit their parents’ houses. And when they dare report to anyone of us, it is the same verdict that will come out of our mouths to them. Our wives were lucky already. So, what were they fighting for? They had everything they could ever wish for.
Pa. Taiye, “My own wife (Taiye) would always say, ‘I am just informing you, I already know you won’t do anything.’ We don’t allow outsiders to meddle in our affairs as that would likely break us and scatter us totally. If not that we are together, we will not be where we are today.”
Retirement age
Both brothers told Sunday Telegraph that, “You see, we respected that destiny that has always been guarding our paths till the present age. We lived in same house, common kitchen, pantry, wardrobe among others.
Taiye said they unanimously took the decision to come to Nigeria to settle down. “We were tired of paid employment. Then, we decided to go for food business before event business. You see business that has to do with stomach through mouth- food is a business that can never fail. So, we established a bakery and named the bread after my mother’s name- Mika Bread-stemming from Olayimika. “Because, we named it after our mother, we ensured high quality bread. In fact, that time, customers always booked ahead because of the quality.” Pa. Taiye said.
Pa. Kehide, “but we didn’t involve our wives in our businesses because they were not our friends to that extent. They started it when we were in America. We asked that we pull savings together, so as to be able to establish big industry. Our wives vehemently objected that we should do contributions separately. We took that decision gladly and when we came back to Nigeria, we established the bakery business without them but first, into Housing ( real estate), then into printing business.
Myth of seniority between them
Pa Kehinde exclaimed that no seniority between them.“Ha! On that, we consciously avoid it. We don’t fight for it. We crawled together same time, stood up together, took our first steps together. But we don’t disagree about the eldest between us. We don’t even discuss that popular myth about the seniority between twins that says Akehinde gbegbon (Meaning Kehinde came late to claim seniority). Like I said earlier, we don’t struggle over anything. So, we take it that we came to the world same time. Hence, no seniority.”
House chores
Both brothers enthusiastically revealed that, “We enjoy doing the house chores by ourselves, ironing our dresses by ourselves. We are very choosy when it comes to food and finicky when it comes to cleanliness. If we have to eat outside, we don’t want to know the person who prepared it for fear that he/she may not appear and that may affect our psyche of eating the food.”
Supporting each other in difficult moment
Pa Taiye, “We do support each other anytime. For instance, if one of us fell sick, the other person will hang around, not go anywhere until the other gets well. Also, when we lost our mother around 13 years old, when we were told, we were not together. I was in school while he was in Lagos. We felt challenged that day that our mother was to buried that we should strive to become somebody in life. He went back to Lagos that very day because he had an entrance exam and I supported him to go back with a vow that we will be meaningful in life. We took tough decisions that day and they were meaningful till date. Our maternal grandfather supported us, paid our school fees to the fullest and we didn’t joke with the old man till he passed away. He didn’t give us the room to lack.
We supported each other in many ways, like when he was working and I was in school, my twin brother would send money and support in many other ways. This culture also transcend to our one of our friends, who came to stay with us. He would do the shopping for us, cook for us. We in turn did not let him lack money. So, when he first left Nigeria to America, in no time, he worked our way of joining him over there. We are equally grateful to that our friend.”
What could have been done differently
Pa. Taiye after a careful thought told Sunday Telegraph that, “perhaps, we could have separated certain things because of our children who can’t come to terms with our own standard of living and views of life, like staying apart. My twin brother and I were like in competitive race. If he got 1st position first term and I get 2nd position, next session, I would score 1st and he would score 2nd .
Pranks pulled on each other in youth days
Pa Kehinde answered that, “we never did! All we did were meaningful things that all turned wonderful.
Wishes at this stage of life
Pa. Taiye, “honestly, we are simply full of gratitude to God Almighty and the good people around. We practically got all we wished and prayed for in life. We eat what we want and when we want it. Feburary 22 when we clocked 80, we asked God for continued sound health and continuous fresh breath of life. We have driven our cars and right now, we are driving our choice colourful cars- Open roof Toyota Solara.”
Favourite game and food
Pa Taiye said their favourite game is soccer and Table Tennis and “we still do till date. Age is a thing of the mind. You see these games ensure our physical involvement all around. As such, we hardly fall sick with the exception of old age issues, which is mild on us. To our credit, we have won several awards and tournaments. We were the first in Remo to win to Tamogen Cup and that was for the whole Western Region, and I was the one recommended by the Federal Government to come represent at the Commonwealth Games…..
Pa Kehinde answered that, “our favourite food is rice because our mother was a food vendor (Oniresi Alata sue sue) and I (Kehinde) love to eat the burnt part of the pot. So, each time our mother cooked rice, I always patiently waited for the burnt part of the pot. We loved our mother, reason, we named our street after her name-‘ASIATA CRESENT’
Would you like to die and be buried together
Both brothers chorused that, “If God permits! Although, it will become history as well, already, we have prepared our burial space. Pa. Kehinde explained that, “when my wife died, I prepared a place for my side beside her when I die. Then, I created a space for my twin brother when he dies and his wife besides him, all four of us in a row.
ADVICE
Both brothers chorused, “Our advice for twins goes more to their parents to always ensure bond between them, cook and do alms giving for their twin. Parents shouldn’t show favouritism to one child than the other. Our parents ensured Taiye and I, were best of friends. Give them equal gifts as that would also promote their closeness.
We appreciate the fact that we are twins and grateful to God for that. Reason, whenever we see twins going, we call them, bless them and advise their parents to take good care of them, ensure that they remain best of friends because twins are special beings.
Their Oriki(Praise songs) goes thus
Ejire ara Isokun- Twins hail from Isokun.
Edunjobi- Relatives of Monkeys you are.
Omo Edun tii sere ori igi- Hooping and jumping from a tree branch to the other.
O be kese be kasa- Jumping helter-skelter, you landed in a wretched man’s place.
O fese mejeeji be sile alakiisa, O salakisa donigba aso- Turning around his misfortunes.
Gbajumo omo tii gbakunle iya, tii gbadobale lowo baba to bii lomo – a rare set of children that commands undue honour and respect from their parents.
Winrinwinrin loju orogun, ejiworo loju iya re- To your stepmother, you are an unwelcome sight but to your mother, you are both emperors of two empires!
Tani o bi ibeji ko n’owo- Wouldn’t you love to parents twins?
