Introducing Kehinde Obeto and Taiwo Ngo and their families. The Obetos reside in the Homestead, and the Ngos live in The Quarry.

Kehinde and Taiwo are originally from Lagos, Nigeria, where they lived for 24 years before coming to the United States. They were born fourth and fifth of their parents’ six children. The twins attended the same elementary school, boarding school, and college in Nigeria. Taiwo says, “We try to go back at least every two years. We just visited before Easter.”

What brought them to the United States? “I came to do USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Exam), followed by my residency in pediatrics,” says Kehinde. Taiwo came to do her U.S. dental board exam.

Interestingly, both girls found that Nigeria was “basically similar” to the United States. They had visited for summer vacations before moving here and knew they liked it.

Being twins, they genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Taiwo says, “It feels great to have a twin. I have a friend anywhere I go and do not have to worry about being by myself.” Having someone there you can count on is nothing short of priceless. “The only drawback is that Kehinde sometimes knows my thoughts and plans before I tell her.”

Growing up, they made a lot of fond memories together, except when Taiwo tried to be smart and take Kehinde’s clothes as hers. Since they had the same clothes, if they got lost or damaged, it was easy to claim the other twin’s clothes as your own, they said.

 

Other memories that they joke about include going on job interviews for each other. Kehinde even broke up with Taiwo’s boyfriend for her when they were in college!

 

As adults, they have their own families but still treasure time together traveling or going to the movies. Kehinde and Taiwo see each about every other day and talk 4-5 times on the phone every day. They used to get their families together once per week for lunch. Now that the children are older and in college, it is much more challenging, but they all get together at least once per year.

 

Kehinde has been married to her husband John for over 21 years. “We have three kids, two sons and a daughter,” she smiles. Their names are John III, Trevor, and Kylie-Emma. “Our oldest is a freshman at The Ohio State University (He makes us say the name that way!). Our middle child is in high school, and our youngest is in middle school.”

All of the children are involved in sports. John III played basketball in high school. Trevor is involved with track, and Kylie-Emma plays volleyball, tennis, and track.

When away from home, you can find Kehinde working as a pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Toledo. She credits her dad for being her inspiration. She explains, “He was a pediatrician as well, and seeing him interacting with his patients and their families inspired my love for pediatrics.” She is also a faculty member of the Mercy Pediatric Residency program. “I love making children feel better when they are ill; I love interacting with my patients and families, and I love seeing them grow up healthy,” she says.

John, a former aerospace engineer and rocket scientist, is the CEO and chief technology officer for an SMB-focused managed services provider.

As a family, the Obetos enjoy traveling extensively, both domestically and internationally. Kehinde says, “We pick a country or two every year during the summer to visit.” Other pastimes for Kehinde include cooking, baking, and riding her bike. You can find her going to the movies, on leisurely bike rides, and eating out. “I am a Thai food aficionado, and I love sampling all menu items at Thai restaurants,” she says.

To relax and unwind, Kehinde loves to go to the spa. She shares, “My perfect day would be a day at the spa, getting a massage, pedicure, and manicure, and then coming home to relax with my family.”

She is most grateful to her family and for the grace of God in their lives. They have lived in the Homestead for seven years, having moved here from rural Northeast Colorado. Now, the neighborhood is home sweet home.

Taiwo is married to her husband Gift, whom she met in Cleveland at a friend’s graduation party in 1997. “We got married in 1998 and are blessed with five wonderful children,” says Taiwo.

Tamunodiyepriye, 23, is a graduate of Northwestern University and currently attending dental school at Tufts University in Boston. Jackson is 21 and just graduated as a biomedical engineer from Vanderbilt University and will be attending dental school at Temple University this fall. Jennifer, 19, currently attends Case Western Reserve University and is majoring in political science and plans to study law. In her free time, she plays volleyball for CWRU.

Amanda, 17, graduated from Notre Dame Academy and plans to attend Case Western Reserve University this fall; she will be playing volleyball at CWRU and was named track player of the year. Last but not least is Michael. This 14-year-old is a freshman at St John’s Jesuit High School. Playing basketball and running track are sports he enjoys.

The Ngo family has lived in The Quarry for six years and has put down roots in the community, including managing a couple of dental offices in the Toledo area. Taiwo says, “I am a dentist, and my brother was my inspiration. When he was little, he fell off his bunk bed and broke his tooth and had to travel to London to get a crown put on. At that point, I knew I wanted to be a dentist. I love seeing the look of joy on people’s faces when they see their new smile, or the relief when they get a bad tooth extracted.”

Gift is an engineer and has an MBA in finance in marketing. “He runs and manages our dental offices,” says Taiwo.

To relax, the Ngo family likes traveling all over the world. “We pick a country or two every year during the summer and go for 1-2 weeks. We try to take the kids back home to Nigeria at least once a year during Christmas break,” says Taiwo.

Everyone also has their own interests. For Taiwo, she likes cooking, reading, and hanging out with family. She comments, “We love the Thai restaurant, Bangkok Kitchen on Dussel Drive. I personally love Chinese or Thai food.”

The Ngos also attend Saint Joan of Arc Church and like giving back to the community. Taiwo says, “My children and their cousins (Kehinde’s children) set up a nonprofit organization called Ka Iwe league, where they donate books and support the education of students in Nigeria.”

Taiwo has a heart of gratitude. She says, “I am most grateful for my many blessings from above and the gift of life.”

We are honored to feature twins Kehinde Obeto and Taiwo Ngo and their families in this month’s issue. Thanks for sharing your story with us!