Twins are very important in Nigeria. Apart from being large additions to families, they also serve as blessings.
Many African cultures see twins as blessings, which will bring peace, progress, prosperity, and good luck to their parents. Some even believe twins also have divine powers.
Nigeria has the highest population in all of Africa, with over 200 million people. Apart from this, population experts suggest that a little town in the southwest has the world’s highest twinning rate.
Welcome to Igbo-Ora.
General overview of Igbo-Ora
Igbo-Ora can be described as one of the most extraordinary discoveries in Nigeria. The town is the headquarters of Ibarapa Central, Oyo State, and is very popular for the prominence of twins.
Nearly every family has twins or other multiple births.
The unusually large number of twin births in the region has earned the town the nickname Twin Capital of the World. Because of the prominence of twins born in Igbo-Ora than anywhere else in the world, it may seem as though you are seeing double when you walk by the streets.
Just so you know, Battabox even visited the town, to see the wonders with our own eyes:
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How can you get to Igbo-Ora?
There are two ways to get into Igbo-Ora town; these are both by air and by bus.
By air, you can take a direct flight from Lagos Airport to Ilorin International Airport which would approximately take fifty minutes. Upon arrival, you can take a vehicle or bus to get to Igbo-Ora town.
One can also take travel vehicles to Igbo-Ora. These vehicles offer daily services from almost all major cities around the country to Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state.
Facts about the town
Blessed with many twins
Igbo-Ora is special and blessed with having multiple twins in the town. There is no particular reason why there are many twins. But many in Igbo-Ora believe the reason there are so many twins is because of the women’s diets.
A woman once attributed the reason to a local delicacy called amala. There could be things that people would eat that would trigger a high level of certain hormones and result in multiple ovulation.
Twins festival
There is an annual twins festival in Igbo-Ora. Igbo-Ora Community Foundation created it in order to showcase tourism. This has been in existence for 12 years. This is also to showcase the rich and unique cultural potential of the community.
The festival also aims to impact the state, and Nigeria at large.
SEE: Popular Nigerian Festivals
The town’s activities
The main economic activity in Igbo-Ora is farming, by way of subsistence agriculture. Igbo-Ora is also home to the famous Obasanjo farms, and the locals also engage in poultry and fishery, as well as hunting.
Most paying jobs revolve around teaching, local government employment, and a few private businesses.
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Conclusion
Igbo Ora is a land filled with many twins, cultures, and traditions. If you plan on going to this beautiful town, do not be scared when you start seeing double. Twins roam the area!
Here’s the second part of the video above:
