FNA Nursing Spotlight Vol.15, 19th October, 2026.
They Had Different Career Dreams but Became Nurses Together: The Story of Nigerian Identical Twins
From ambitions to study Medicine and Civil Engineering to overcoming admission challenges and exhausting clinical postings, 23-year-old twins Sonusi Busolami Taiwo and Sonusi Busayomi Kehinde have graduated in Nursing Science from Osun State University. They tell FNA News how faith, determination and sisterhood helped them become Registered Nurses together.
At first, nursing was not the plan.
Sonusi Busayomi Kehinde wanted to study Medicine and Surgery. Her identical twin sister, Sonusi Busolami Taiwo, dreamed of becoming a civil engineer.
But after admission setbacks, a change of academic direction and years of demanding university training, the sisters from Ogun State, Nigeria, have found themselves in the same profession.
Both graduated in Nursing Science from Osun State University, Osogbo, and have been inducted as Registered Nurses.
For the 23-year-old twins, the achievement represents more than the completion of a university degree. It marks the end of a challenging journey shaped by determination, family support and a willingness to pursue their ambitions even when circumstances did not go as planned.
Their experience also offers a message to nursing students navigating academic pressure and uncertainty: a difficult beginning does not have to determine the outcome.
In this FNA News spotlight, the sisters reflect on their journey into nursing, the realities of training together, the moments they struggled and the lessons they hope other aspiring nurses will learn from their story.
From different ambitions to one profession
After completing secondary school in 2020, the twins wrote the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination and encountered admission challenges.
Eventually, in 2022, they gained admission to Osun State University to study Public Health.
It was not what they had hoped for. Nursing was the course they wanted to pursue, and their mother had particularly encouraged them to enter the profession.
Initially, they considered writing JAMB again and seeking admission elsewhere. Their plans changed when they learnt that they could transfer to Nursing Science if they achieved the required cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
They decided to work towards that opportunity.
“We studied hard, and eventually, we got the opportunity to cross into Nursing in 200 level,” they recalled.
Both sisters had also written JAMB again that year and obtained good scores. However, the university’s transfer process offered them a route into the profession without having to abandon their existing academic journey.
Their decision was influenced partly by their desire to remain together. They wanted to study alongside each other, share the challenges of university life and have someone who understood what they were experiencing.
What began as a shared decision has since become a profession they are grateful to have entered.
Looking back, the sisters believe Jehovah God guided their journey, helping them navigate setbacks that might otherwise have discouraged them.
Their experience illustrates how career paths can change and how an unexpected opportunity can become a turning point. For them, the challenge was not simply getting into university; it was finding a way to pursue the profession they genuinely wanted.
Life as the ‘popular twins’ on campus
Being identical twins meant that the sisters rarely experienced university life separately.
They attended classes together, studied together, prepared for examinations together and went on clinical postings together. They became each other’s accountability partners, helping one another remain focused on their academic goals.
Their resemblance also made them recognisable figures on campus.
“We were practically inseparable in school,” they said.
Because they dressed alike almost all the time, fellow students fondly called them “the popular twins”. People often tried to distinguish one from the other, and the attention became a familiar part of their university experience.
Some of those encounters were amusing. Others, particularly the constant comparisons and comments, could become uncomfortable.
Their closeness also had its disadvantages. Spending so much time together sometimes made them wonder whether they were missing out on other university experiences. They acknowledged that they could have made more friends and taken part in more activities beyond their usual circle.
Yet, the companionship gave them a source of support that was difficult to replicate.
They were experiencing many of the same challenges at the same time. When one struggled, the other often understood without needing a lengthy explanation.
They also recognised that being twins did not mean they were identical in personality or opinion. Like other siblings, they sometimes disagreed or got on each other’s nerves.
The experience taught them that closeness does not have to come at the expense of individuality.
For the sisters, being a team meant encouraging one another, remaining accountable and learning to grow as individuals while continuing to support each other.
‘We cried together’: The pressure behind their success
Their journey through nursing school was not always smooth.
One of their most difficult periods came in 300 level, when clinical postings sometimes kept them at the hospital until late at night.
Getting back to their hostel was only one part of the challenge. They still had to arrange transportation, prepare meals, eat, get ready for the next day’s classes and find time to rest.
Their hostel was far from the hospital, making the daily routine even more demanding.
The pressure continued for weeks, leaving both sisters physically and mentally exhausted.
By 400 level, their schedule became more intense, with almost daily clinical postings as they prepared for their professional examinations.
Their transition into Nursing Science at 200 level had also been particularly challenging. Having moved from Public Health, they had a short semester to catch up with new subjects and adjust to the demands of the programme.
With examinations approaching, they became increasingly anxious about whether they would pass.
“We sat down two weeks before the exams and read from 6 a.m. until midnight every day,” they recalled.
Despite their efforts, the fear of failure remained. There were days when they cried together because the pressure felt overwhelming. Their parents sometimes had to call to reassure them.
Their experience offers a glimpse into the realities behind academic achievement. Good results do not necessarily mean a student has had an easy journey. There may be difficult nights, exhausting clinical schedules and moments when the next step seems uncertain.
For the twins, the answer was not that they never struggled. It was that they continued despite the struggle.
They studied together, encouraged each other and reminded themselves why they had started. Their faith also played an important role.
They prayed about their academic challenges and trusted Jehovah God to help them through the difficult periods.
They credit their faith, determination and support for one another with helping them persevere.
“We were not always strong, and we did not always have everything figured out, but we kept going together,” they said.
Who will make the better nurse?
Now that both sisters have been inducted as Registered Nurses, it might be tempting to ask which twin will become the better nurse.
Neither is willing to claim that distinction.
Both believe they have the potential to become excellent nurses, and they recognise that professional competence requires much more than good examination results.
Although they graduated with almost identical CGPAs, they understand that nursing also demands patience, compassion, sound judgement, dedication and a genuine commitment to caring for people.
They are looking forward to developing these qualities further as they begin their professional careers.
For them, graduation and induction are important milestones, but they are also the beginning of another phase of learning.
Their immediate goal is to secure suitable internship placements and gain practical experience.
They are open to working together in the future, having shared so much of their academic journey. However, they are equally willing to explore their individual interests and allow their careers to develop in different directions.
Whether they eventually work in the same hospital or pursue different areas of nursing, they want to become competent and compassionate professionals who make a positive difference in the lives of their patients.
Their response reflects an understanding that sharing a profession does not require sharing every ambition. Even with the advantage of having a twin beside them, each sister will have to develop her own skills, judgement and professional identity.
A milestone built on family support and faith
For Busolami and Busayomi, their induction represents years of effort and the support of people who believed in them.
One encounter stands out in their recollection of the journey.
When they went to enquire about transferring to Nursing Science, they unexpectedly met the Head of Department, whom they had greeted earlier that day at the university’s main campus.
They explained how much they wanted to study Nursing. The meeting became a turning point in their pursuit of the course.
Looking back, they see Jehovah’s direction in the events that followed.
They are particularly grateful to their parents for their prayers, encouragement and support throughout their studies. Their mother had wanted them to study Nursing and encouraged them to pursue that ambition.
For the sisters, the achievement belongs to their family as much as it does to them.
They also expressed appreciation to their lecturers and others who supported them along the way, while thanking Jehovah God for giving them the strength to persevere.
Their story highlights the importance of support systems in a demanding academic environment. While personal discipline is essential, encouragement from family, lecturers and trusted companions can help students navigate periods of uncertainty.
Their advice to students struggling through nursing school
Having experienced the pressure of clinical postings, demanding coursework and examinations, the twins have a message for students who are finding nursing school difficult: do not give up on yourself.
They encourage students to begin reading early, pay attention in class, use their lecture materials and focus on understanding what they study rather than leaving everything until examinations are near.
They also advise students not to underestimate their first year and to ask for help when they find a subject difficult.
But their advice extends beyond academic preparation.
They believe students should take care of themselves, surround themselves with encouraging people and recognise that they do not have to be strong every day.
A difficult day does not mean a student is failing, and struggling with a topic does not mean they are incapable of becoming a good nurse.
For those whose faith is important to them, the sisters encourage maintaining that faith through difficult periods.
They also urge students to make the most of university life beyond the classroom. Making friends, learning new skills, volunteering and creating memories can all be part of the experience.
Nursing school is demanding, they acknowledge, but university life should not consist entirely of examinations and anxiety over CGPA.
They further caution against comparing personal progress with that of other students. Every journey is different, and a setback or change of direction does not necessarily mean a dream is over.
“Keep working towards your goals, remain respectful and kind to the people around you, and do not underestimate the value of simple acts of kindness,” they advised.
Their own experience has taught them that perseverance is not about pretending everything is easy. It is about continuing to work towards a goal, seeking support when necessary and remaining hopeful when plans change.
Two nurses, one shared journey and a future ahead
Busolami and Busayomi began their university journey with different career ambitions. They faced admission setbacks, entered a course they had not originally planned to study and worked towards the opportunity to transfer into Nursing Science.
Along the way, they experienced exhaustion, uncertainty and moments of self-doubt. They also discovered the value of determination, family support and having someone beside them who understood the challenges they faced.
Today, both are Registered Nurses, preparing to take the next steps in their professional lives.
Their future paths may remain closely connected, or they may eventually develop different interests and specialities. Either way, they intend to continue supporting each other’s growth.
For nursing students who feel discouraged by a difficult semester, an unexpected result or a change in plans, their story offers a reminder that one setback does not have to define the future.
Sometimes, the journey to a meaningful career looks very different from the one imagined at the beginning.
For these identical twins, different dreams eventually led to one profession. Their achievement is not simply that they became nurses together, but that they kept working towards a future they wanted, even when the route was uncertain.
As they begin their careers, they are grateful for how far they have come and hopeful about the nurses they are still becoming.
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Kehinde Oluwatosin is one of the many editors here at Fellow Nurses Africa and fellownurses.com.
He is a registered nurse with a Master of Science degree in healthcare leadership from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Kehinde is passionate about advancing the nursing profession across Africa. As Co-Founder of Fellow Nurses Africa, he plays a key role in shaping editorial direction, ensuring our content educates, informs, and empowers nurses continent-wide.
With expertise in leadership, patient flow, and healthcare operations, Kehinde brings valuable insights to nursing news, career development, and policy discussions. He is committed to amplifying the voice of African nurses and driving positive change in the profession.
