Igbo-Ora: The Nigerian town where twins are everywhere
With almost every family welcoming twins, this Oyo State town has earned the title “Twin Capital of the World”
In the heart of Oyo State lies Igbo-Ora, a town like no other in Nigeria, or perhaps the world. Walk through its streets and you might think you are seeing double. Families proudly show off their twins, shops are filled with photos of twins, and locals speak of the phenomenon with pride and a little awe.
Out of every 1,000 births, almost 50 sets are twins, a rate far higher than the global average of 12 per thousand. Researchers, doctors, and journalists have long been drawn here, eager to understand why this small town seems to defy global norms; yet Igbo-Ora’s residents often insist that the answer is as much about culture as it is biology.
Locals point to their diet as a possible factor. The town’s famous ilasa soup, made from okra leaves, and amala, a staple made from yam flour or cassava, are served in almost every home. Generations swear by these dishes, believing they play a role in the town’s remarkable twin phenomenon.
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Beyond food, twins in Igbo-Ora are cherished in a way that is rare anywhere else. In Yoruba tradition, they are called Ìbejì, and the first-born twin is named Taiwo, “the one who tastes the world”, while the second is Kehinde, “the one who comes after.” This naming tradition, coupled with the spiritual reverence for twins, gives Igbo-Ora a rhythm and identity that feels deeply rooted and profoundly special.
Celebration, culture, and scientific curiosity
Igbo-Ora does not hide its twin story. Each year, the Twins Festival transforms the town into a riot of colour, music, and celebration. Twins from across Nigeria and beyond converge to celebrate their uniqueness. Visitors document the spectacle while participating in the celebration. The festival is more than a cultural event, it is a testament to how deeply twins are woven into the town’s identity.
At the same time, scientists and researchers continue to explore Igbo-Ora, committed to unravelling the mystery behind its unusually high twin rate. Among them is Prof. Friday E. Okonofua, a gynaecologist and researcher who has suggested that a specific variety of okra grown in the town and the way it is prepared using local well water may influence fertility. In a qualitative study, his team observed that animals fed with a diet mirroring local consumption (okra prepared in the same way) had more offspring in their litters.
Another major contributor to this research is Prof. Akhere A. Omonkhua of the University of Benin, herself a dizygotic (non-identical) twin. Her work explores how diet, water, and lifestyle may combine with genetics to influence twinning. In a 2020 study published in PLOS ONE, Omonkhua and her colleagues conducted interviews with residents, including traditional leaders, birth attendants, mothers of twins, and community elders, to document local beliefs. Their findings showed that many community members attribute twinning to divine will, heredity, and certain foods, especially ilasa soup and amala.
More recently, a 2024 paper in Exploratory Research and Hypothesis in Medicine highlighted additional possible factors, including water sources, soil, respect and care for twins, and even local deities. There is also research into the biochemical makeup of okra: a 2017 study found that okra leaves contain phytochemicals and minerals that may reduce oxidative stress, suggesting they have biological activity that could, in theory, affect fertility.
Still, not everyone is convinced. Some experts caution that there is no conclusive scientific proof that okra leaf consumption directly causes twinning. A Cambridge-published twin-research study by P. P. S. Nylander found that the high twin rate in Igbo-Ora is almost entirely due to non-identical (dizygotic) twins, and suggested that genetic predisposition plays a strong role.
For the people of Igbo-Ora, however, it is not just a research topic, twins are a source of pride, a reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary things in life are born from a mix of nature, tradition, and community. Igbo-Ora stands as a small town with a large mystery, one that continues to draw global curiosity and deep cultural celebration.
