Twin Bliss: A Decade of Joyful Motherhood
Africa is rich in traditions that may be unfamiliar or even disapproved by many.
However, it is important that we educate ourselves about practices that differ from our own.The birth of a child is a joyful event that is typically celebrated and honored. In the Yoruba tribe, which originates from Nigeria, twin births hold a significant cultural importance.
Maɾgaɾetha, a Yᴏʀᴜʙᴀ woman fɾom Afɾica, celebɾates the biɾth of a baby as a joyous occasion, just like many otheɾ cultures. In the Yᴏʀᴜʙᴀ tɾibe of Nɪɢᴇʀɪᴀ, the incidence of twin biɾths is high and twins aɾe consideɾed special. While twin biɾths aɾe ɾelatively uncommon, the biɾth rate of twins vaɾies acɾoss ɾegions and countɾies. Latin Ameɾica and Southeast Asia have the lowest rates, with only about 9 sets of twins peɾ eveɾy 1,000 biɾths.
Twin birth rates vary significantly across different regions and countries worldwide. Latin America and Southeast Asia have the lowest rates, with only about 9 sets of twins per 1,000 births. In Europe, the figure is approximately 16 twins per 1,000 births, and in the United States, it is around 33 per 1,000 births. In central Africa, the number rises to about 18 to 30 sets of twins per 1,000 births. However, the Yoruba people of southwest Nigeria have the highest number of twin births globally, with approximately 50 sets of twins per 1,000 live births.
In one particular town in Yorubaland, multiple births seem to be more common than anywhere else in the world. Igbo Ora, a quiet agricultural town located 80 kilometers from Lagos, has earned the title of “twin capital of the world,” with unverified reports suggesting a staggering 158 sets of twins for every 1,000 live births.
Upon arriving at Iɢʙᴏ Oʀᴀ, visitors are greeted by a prominent monument proudly proclaiming the town as “The Land of Twins.” While there is no definitive explanation for the town’s high incidence of twin births, fertility experts in the surrounding Yᴏʀᴜʙᴀʟᴀɴᴅ region suggest that the consumption of a particular type of yam containing natural phytoestrogen may be a possible factor. This compound is believed to stimulate the ovaries and increase the likelihood of multiple egg releases in women.