Post by Honorebu on Jul 26, 2016 13:15:52 GMT
So amazing it is to know that there is a place in Nigeria where exists the largest population of twins in the world. This place is Igbo-Ora, small village in Oyo State, south-west Nigeria, where more twins are born in Igbo-Ora than anywhere else on earth and that there are just few households who do not have at least one set of twins in their family.
This has also been shown by birth statistics which stated that there are 158 twins per 1,000 births in Igbo-Ora, while in Europe there are five twins per 1,000 births. The village of Igbo-Ora has become popular all over the world for this interesting occurrence. The people of Igbo-Ora attribute the predominance of twins in their land to their indigenous Àmàlà and Ìlasà meal. Àmàlà is a popular morsel meal made from yam powder and is popular within the SW region of Nigeria, while Ìlasà is a special okro soup indigenous to Igbo-ora community.
According to medical director of the local Olugbon Hospital, Rasak Tijani, the delivery of twins in the local community hospital is a routine procedure. He also explains that, although people in other local government areas in the area eat the same food as they do and have the same culture and practice, yet the rate of twinning is different. However, consultant gynaecologist Donald Imosemi at Nigeria’s biggest medical institution, Lagos university teaching hospital, believes that food may indeed play a part. Extensive studies on multiple births have been conducted, showing that yams contain the chemical gonadotrophins, which helps women produce multiple eggs.
However, one of the local residents said that it was difficult to raise his twins because they need twice as much attention. “You’re now faced with providing two things for two people. So definitely you’re going to spend so much for the two of them. Nevertheless, Head Chief Adeyemi believes that twins should be worshipped. He believes that it is a sort of honour to be called “Baba or Iya Ibeji” (Father or mother of twins) “because they are a special breed from God.”
Although the people of Igbo-Ora are very proud of their heritage and are very welcoming to visitors, however, they complain of low tourist visitation to their community to celebrate their twin children.
Source: BBC World, BBC
This has also been shown by birth statistics which stated that there are 158 twins per 1,000 births in Igbo-Ora, while in Europe there are five twins per 1,000 births. The village of Igbo-Ora has become popular all over the world for this interesting occurrence. The people of Igbo-Ora attribute the predominance of twins in their land to their indigenous Àmàlà and Ìlasà meal. Àmàlà is a popular morsel meal made from yam powder and is popular within the SW region of Nigeria, while Ìlasà is a special okro soup indigenous to Igbo-ora community.
According to medical director of the local Olugbon Hospital, Rasak Tijani, the delivery of twins in the local community hospital is a routine procedure. He also explains that, although people in other local government areas in the area eat the same food as they do and have the same culture and practice, yet the rate of twinning is different. However, consultant gynaecologist Donald Imosemi at Nigeria’s biggest medical institution, Lagos university teaching hospital, believes that food may indeed play a part. Extensive studies on multiple births have been conducted, showing that yams contain the chemical gonadotrophins, which helps women produce multiple eggs.
However, one of the local residents said that it was difficult to raise his twins because they need twice as much attention. “You’re now faced with providing two things for two people. So definitely you’re going to spend so much for the two of them. Nevertheless, Head Chief Adeyemi believes that twins should be worshipped. He believes that it is a sort of honour to be called “Baba or Iya Ibeji” (Father or mother of twins) “because they are a special breed from God.”
Although the people of Igbo-Ora are very proud of their heritage and are very welcoming to visitors, however, they complain of low tourist visitation to their community to celebrate their twin children.
Source: BBC World, BBC
