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Discover Nigeria: Igbo-Ora, The Land of Twins

Chidiogo Akaelu
Igbo-Ora

BBC

  In the southwestern part of Nigeria, there’s a special city called Igbo-Ora. This community is located in Oyo state and is famous for something very unusual – almost every family has twins or even more babies born at the same time! Due to this, Igbo-Ora is known as the “Land of Twins.” It has the highest number of twin births in all of Africa.
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Why So Many Twins?

People aren’t sure exactly why there are so many twins in Igbo-Ora. Scientists think it might be because of two main reasons:
  1. Genes
Most people in Igbo-Ora are from a group called the Yoruba. The Yoruba people seem to have genes that make them more likely to have twins. For every 22 babies born to Yoruba parents, one birth results in twins or even triplets! This is much more than in other parts of the world, where only one in every 80 births results in twins.
  1. Food
Some people think the food in Igbo-Ora might help women have twins. The local diet includes a lot of yams and cassava. These foods might have special things in them that help women’s bodies release more eggs. When more eggs are released, there’s a better chance of having twins. But scientists aren’t sure if this is true – they need to do more research to find out. The favourite food of people in Igbo-Ora is pounded yam. Could this tasty dish be part of the twin mystery? We don’t know for sure!

Celebrating Twins

The people of Igbo-Ora are proud of their twin traditions. Every year, they have a big party called the Igbo Festival to celebrate twins. This festival is a lot of fun and brings people together from all over. In October 2023, more than 1,000 pairs of twins came to the festival. The festival has a new name now – the “World Twins Festival.” The organizers want to make Igbo-Ora famous around the world and bring in more visitors. They even hope to get into the Guinness Book of Records for having so many twins in one place! Important people come to the festival too, like the Alaafin of Oyo, who is a respected leader in the area. The festival is becoming a big event that helps bring more tourists to the region.
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Twin Business

Having so many twins has created some interesting businesses in Igbo-Ora. There are:
  1. Tailors who make matching clothes for twins
  2. Photographers who are experts at taking pictures of twins
  3. Schools that know how to teach twins well
These businesses help the city’s economy grow. Many families in Igbo-Ora make money because of the twin industry.

Challenges of Being the Twin Capital

Even though having lots of twins is special, it can also be hard sometimes. Igbo-Ora needs more:
  1. Hospitals and doctors to take care of all the new babies
  2. Money and supplies to help families with twins

A Growing Tourist Attraction

Igbo-Ora is becoming more and more famous because of its twins. People from all over Africa and even other parts of the world come to visit. They want to see the “Twins Capital of the World” for themselves. The World Twins Festival is a big reason why more people are learning about Igbo-Ora. The festival organizers, including groups called Twins World Creations and the Igbo-Ora Community Foundation, are working hard to make the city a top place for “twins tourism.” They want to show off the area’s culture and attract people who might want to invest in the city. By making the festival bigger and better each year, they hope to bring more attention and opportunities to Igbo-Ora.
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Final Thoughts

The story of Igbo-Ora shows how something unusual can bring a community together and create new opportunities. It’s a reminder that what makes us different can also make us special.
Featured Image Source: BBC
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