Anthropology

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Twin Births in Western Africa: A Look into Igbo and Yoruba Culture

How does the birth of twins differ in Nigeria based upon population group? In the

southeast of Nigeria, the Igbo speaking people feared the birth of twins while the Yoruba

population in southwest Nigeria treat twins as gods. Infanticide may seem like a foreign concept

to our culture but to others, it is very real. It is said that that the reason the Yoruba praise twins,

is the same reason why the Igbo feared them. This essay will analyze the effect twins have on

each population group and explain the outcome of twin births in West Africa.

The Igbo people of southeast Nigeria have a problematic history of actively seeking to

abominate and eradicate twin births in their society. Why would this population be so persistent

on removing twinship? As we know, twins are the product of one fertilized ovum splitting and

developing into two fetuses or two separate ova are fertilized by two separate sperm cells. In

Igbo culture, umu ujime (multiple births) are the repercussion of the devil’s work and should

therefore cease to exist (Bastian, 2001). The indigenous population believed that umu ujime was

a disgrace to their deity of the earth whom they call Ala or Ani. Furthermore, families who had

twin births were held accountable for the dishonor they brought upon the population, especially

mothers (Bastian, 2001). The twins would be put in pots, suffocated, and discarded in the “bad

bush” known as oojo ofia, which were located outside of Igbo territory (Bastian, 2001). Mothers

who bore twins were cursed and removed from the society and even killed along with their

children. If they weren’t killed, they were taken to twin villages and were grieved by their

families as if she were deceased (Imbua, 2013).

There are several reasons for twin killings in the Igbo culture. One logic behind the issue

included the idea that only animals can have multiple births. When animals such as goats or

sheep had multiple births, it was a joyous occasion. More goats simply meant more food and

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more milk. The litter was not killed, but human multiple births had an opposing fate. The Igbo

believed that humans shouldn’t express animal-like traits which included rules on reproduction.

Women should have singular births and animals should have multiple (Bastian, 2001). This

example was one way to provide further insight for the reasoning behind eradicating umu ujime.

Does the practice of twin abomination still exist in southeastern Nigeria? In the earlier

nineteenth century European missionaries had become aware of twin killings in the southeast of

Nigeria. The practice was against the religion of Christianity and missionaries saw twin killing as

innocent life being taken (Bastian, 2001). Although this was appalling to missionaries, they

understood the religious differences and stepped in to persuade the Igbo otherwise. One

missionary who devoted her life to bringing change to Nigeria was Mary Slessor. Her work in

Nigeria was influential on the population and the umu ujime deaths had eventually began to

decrease and eventually disappear along with social disarray (Proctor, 2000). Slessor was one of

many missionaries who devoted themselves to stop the infanticide by the Igbo people. On

October 21, 1842, the missionaries pleaded to King Eyo to prohibit twin killings immediately

and give twins and their families their own safe are to live in peace. Initially, opposition to the

plea was expressed but the king eventually declared infanticide as a capital offense and granted

the safe area (Imbua, 2013).

The work of missionaries in Nigeria ultimately lead to the eradication of twin killing in

Igbo speaking populations. Without the influence and perseverance of the missionaries it is

plausible that umu ujime killings may have continued much longer before change had taken its

course. The Igbo have a neighboring population who has their own cultural norms for twin

births. The Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria praise twins and treat them as gods.

The Yoruba people initially had similar views on twin births as the Igbo population.

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Before the praising of twins, the Yoruba also practiced twin killings. Their reasons were different

from their neighbor’s motive to abolish twinship. The announcement of twins was shocking to

the Yoruba because this was a bad omen for the community. Twins and their mother were

ritually killed or left in the jungle defenseless as prey to animals. One twin was sometimes

allowed to live while the other was not (Oruene, 1985). Some communities practiced

banishment, either permanent or temporary. The mother would have to leave their group with her

children and not return if her community practiced permanent banishment. In communities

where temporary banishment took place, after a specific period, the mother could return to her

community with one twin or none because the threat of twins ceased (Oruene, 1985).

The Yoruba had cultural beliefs about twins that lead to the poor treatment of women and

their twin offspring. One belief amongst the population included the perception that women who

had twins meant they have cheated on their husbands. In their point of view, two children meant

two fathers. They also believed that if it wasn’t another human man that she cheated with, she

committed infidelity with an evil spirit (Oruene, 1985). An additional cultural belief the Yoruba

had was like one previously discussed with the Igbo people. They believed lower valued animals

had multiple births and categorized women with twins as animals unsuitable to live amongst

humans (Oruene, 1985).

Eventually these traditional norms faded and transformed into quite the opposite. The

fear of twins became joy. The Yoruba began to associate twins with divinity and as living

representations of orisa-ibeji, meaning twin gods (Oruene, 1985). The twins were believed to

have supernatural powers since they were divine beings and became respected by others. Infant

mortality was quite high in twin births and the Yoruba believed that if one twin died, the living

twin only had half of a soul and could not survive. In order to keep the living twin thriving, they

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created statues of the deceased twin which was said to hold the other half of the soul which the

twins shared. The ibeji, a wooden representation of the deceased twin, was cared for as if it were

alive. The mother would dress the ibeji and rub food against its lips, as well as bring it with her

where she went. The living twin would be raised with the ibeji and when old enough, the living

twin would take on the responsibility to care for it (Oruene, 1985).

Twins were also given specific names with special meaning. The first born would be

named Taiwo and the second was named Kehinde. Traditionally the second child is considered

the older of the two because Kehinde pushes Taiwo to enter the world and once that child cries

he tells Kehinde to come out and “Taste the world.” Taiwo translates to “Go and taste the world”

and Kehinde means “One who comes last” (Renne, 2001). Many twins are given these names in

Yoruba culture. Seven days after birth, there is a twin naming ceremony where people in the

community come together to celebrate. Elisha P. Renne states, offerings are made to the twins

who are dressed identically, and everything is duplicated, including the food that is served. What

is done for one child must be done for the other because they share one soul.

Today, the Yoruba experience one of the highest numbers of twin births per year in the

world. This has become a large part of their identity and can be seen right away when entering

their town. A large stone sign is present which reads “The Nation’s Home of Twins” Their

artwork also expresses the value of twins in Yoruba society. Why does this population

experience prevailing numbers of twin births in comparison to the rest of the world? A staple in

Yoruba diet are yams and the cassava plant. Though it isn’t scientifically proven, the hormone

phytoestrogen in the vegetation are said to cause multiple eggs to be released by the ovaries

ending up in twin pregnancy (Akinboro, 2008). This may be an environmental factor for the

reason behind the high number of twin births.

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The Igbo and the Yoruba have seemingly similar histories when comparing the effects of

twin births in their populations. The Igbo and Yoruba alike have practiced twin killing and

mistreatment of mothers and their offspring for a large portion of their history. This practice was

normal to them, it was their culture. Now that abomination of twinship is a thing of the past, the

population groups now celebrate twin births and have made them an important part of their

history, religion and culture.

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Reference List

Akinboro, A., Azeez, M. A., & Bakare, A. A. (2008). Frequency of twinning in

southwest Nigeria. Indian journal of human genetics, 14(2), 41-7.

Bastian, M. (2001). "The Demon Superstition": Abominable Twins and Mission Culture

in Onitsha History. Ethnology, 40(1), 13-27. doi:10.2307/3773886

Imbua, D. (2013). Robbing Others to Pay Mary Slessor: Unearthing the Authentic Heroes

and Heroines of the Abolition of Twin-Killing in Calabar. African Economic History, 41,

139-158. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.kbcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/stable/43863309

Oruene, T. (1985). Magical Powers of Twins in the Socio-Religious Beliefs of the

Yoruba. Folklore, 96(2), 208-216. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org.kbcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/stable/1259643

Proctor, J. (2000). Serving God and the Empire: Mary Slessor in South-Eastern Nigeria,

1876-1915. Journal of Religion in Africa,30(1), 45-61. doi:10.2307/1581622

Renne, E. (2001). Twinship in an Ekiti Yoruba Town. Ethnology,40(1), 63-78.

doi:10.2307/3773889