The Yoruba tribe has the highest rate of twin
births in the world. Igbo-Ora, a little town in Oyo state, has been nicknamed Twin capital of the World because of its unusually high rate of twins
that is put as high as 158 twins per 1000 births. In a video on YouTube presented by Titi (a white lady who speaks Yoruba), and which was centred on twin births in Igbo-Ora, one of the locals boasted that every family in the town has at least one twin! The following is the oriki for all we twins in the world. Enjoy!
Ejire oyila winiwini loju orogun,
ejiworo loju iya re
Mba bejire mbayo,
O be kese be kasa,
ofese me jejeji be sile alakisa
o so alakisa di onigbaso,
okan ni mba bi mba yo,
sugbon meji lowole tomiwa,
Gbajumo omo ti ngba ikunle iya,
ti ngba idobale lowo baba to bi won lomo
Ejire ara isokun, edunjobi omo edun tin sere ori igi
Epo nbe, ewa nbe, aya mi oja lati bi ibeji
Taiyelolu ma yo se se,
Akehinde gbegbon
mayo se se
Ejire oyila, ema yo se se, nbabi edunjobi
mba yo pe mobi oba omo.
Edumare bawa da awon Ibeji wa si.
Amin Ase!
Kindly leave ur comments :)!
Hakeem & Kay 
My Wife and I are praying for a set of twins.
I have threatened to have her banished to Igbo Ora, from Ibadan, until she gives birth to ejire.
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LOL. Maybe the food they eat in Igbo Ora enhances the chance of giving birth to twins.
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I’m certain it’s in the local diet.
I recently learned that an old high school flame, Taiye, has 3 sets of twins. Nice.
Ejire wunmi lomo.
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Their food should be researched upon.
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Translation please
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Hi, namesake! The translation of the oriki doesn’t seem possible as it is replete with some words that don’t seem to have corresponding English meanings. But i’ll try my best to summarise it. The Oriki Ibeji is about the importance of twins in the Yoruba culture. IBEJIs are believed to be ‘kings of children’. It’s believed that the arrival of twins in a family signifies the arrival of fortune. If the family is a poor one, it’s believed that their life would become better. Ibejis are said to be respected by all and sundry, including their parents. The Oriki ends with a prayer asking God to protect the twins.
Hope that was of help? 🙂
Thanks for the comment.
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I hope I’ll be mother of identical twins in the nearest future.
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May the Immortal One grant your request. 🙂 That means u want both of them to be of the same gender. For me, i’d prefer them mixed.
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Cool. Already got the translation. Cool blog.
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Alright. Thanks for stopping by!
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i so much love twins…… believing the creator of “them” to grant me 2 sets of IBEJI… *PRAYING*
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2 sets of twins tan?! 4 children niyen ke! May Eledumare answer your prayers!
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My Wife and I paid a pilgrimage to Igbo Ora a few months ago. We learned that triplets are now the in thing in the town.
We ate lots of food, shes now with child but alas no “wini wini loju orogun” this time.
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I think the Igbo-Ora town should be subject to scholarly research. This one dah multiple birth is common in that community 😀 . It might be in their genetic makeup. Congrats on your new child, though. Don’t worry ejire ara isokun are on their way to your family.
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Ase!.
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Tears always roll down my cheek, each time I read the twin’s Panegyrics. I’ll love to have them some day, my brother’s wife and are twin sister are so Lovely
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Awww. May Allah grant your heart desires. Twins are indeed a joy to have.
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I love twins so much,my grand mum is a twin,I pray Lord that I will have my set of twins dis year.
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Amen to your prayers, sis!
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I’m also one of those praying to God for a set of twins. Now that i have their panegyrics, i will keep siging and chantting it.
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Lol. Maybe when they hear you chanting their praises, they’ll be kind enough to pay your household a visit. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I always pray to God to give me twins
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iPray He listens to your pleas.
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Wow! What a wonderful job here…
Just like d way IYA BeJI use to recite it…..m proud to b a twin
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Thanks! Same ‘ere.
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Wow… I love dis Blog.. Weldon Mr AK, am Praying for Merciful Twins.. Cos my Mum was Twins.. Ejire Ara Isokun, Edunjobi tin sere Ori igi, gbajumo omo tin gba’kunle iya, tin gba Idobale lowo baba to bi Lomo. WinrinWinrin loju Orogun, Ejiworo loju iya e. Okan nbabi Eji Lo wole tomi wa.. Hmmmm I love dem..
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Thanks for the comment. May God grant your request.
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had twins at my first delivering but lost them immediately after birth, though had a baby boy now, but stil praying to have twins, pray God grant me my heart desire. i just love the Ejires
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Oh sorry abt ur loss! May Eledumare grant ur request!
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When I ws younger I used to hv boils on both arm n ppl will say u I will give birth to twins I I usually say amen to dt n when I visit new mother n dy ask me to pick biscuit I usually pick two sayin I want twins.eventually I got married n had identical twin boys as my first.I bless God for that n grantin my daire n I pray dt doz lookin up to Gid for such He will grant.
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Ameen.
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Excellent post. Keep posting such kind of info on your site.
Im really impressed by it.
Hello there, You have done an incredible job. I will definitely
digg it and for my part suggest to my friends. I’m confident they’ll be benefited from this web site.
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Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one!
It’s on a totally different topic but it has pretty much
the same page layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!
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Tnx for d compliment.
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All glory to God for showing a great mercy upon me, i already have two boys and d most high visited my family in a grand style just last month wit a set of twins(boys) eelaki oba omo….i welcome u to my household
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Congrats, sir! 🙂
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Nyc write up,already have a girl bt just last year d Almighty Allah blessed me with two big handsome boys. Twins are really a special gift 4rm d most high pray dat d Almighty spare and protect them also bless those who is praying 4 such too
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I wish to be calleb iya ibeji in d nearest future
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I was so thrilled when i googled”oriki ibeji” and voila it appeared. I’m a proud mother of a beautiful set of twin which i described as”ore gbankogbi,ore nlanla”.I never expected it even in my wildest dream.May Allah protect all our children.amin.Nice work Mr Keems.
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that’s the fact about Igbo-Ora town. I was born and brought up at Eruwa which is about 30minute drive to Igbo-Ora,and i have cousin there that are twin(my uncle). i like twin and i wish to have a set of identcal twin like my uncles.good research work
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Nice 1
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I’m a proud mother of twins but unluckily 4 me I don’t know dia eulogy. Tnx 4 dropping ds hia bro. I can actually tease my boys wiv dis (lols). May God bless and keep all twins in d world & grant all dos dat desire twins dia hrt desire.
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Happy to be egbon among twin
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Bless God I have a boy nd a girl as my 1st born
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Why are called are Ira isoku?
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It means ‘Inhabitants of Isokun’. I’ve tried to find out where Isokun is or what it means but I’ve not been successful in the quest.
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I love twins so much…I’ll love 2 have them someday. My late grandpa was a twin & my bf is also a twin.
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Am proud 2 a twin
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Hmmm….am so so glad having twins(Boi&girl) as my 2nd issue its really an unexpected bless for me nd hubby….dey re realy a gud child to av,to does tat wishes,best of luck…knowing der eulogy brought me here.so can’t !eave wit no expression…..thanx
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Glad I could be of help! ☺
God bless them. My warm regards to them.
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tanks u very much
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what does it mean to see a bush baby as a twin
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Oh! I have no idea what it means to see it as a twin. I only know of the myth that it’s a scary creature that carries a mat and cries like a baby. It’s believed that anyone who collects its mat will be rich but will have to fight it for 7 days. That’s all I know.
Thanks for dropping by.
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am a twin i also pray for “THEMs” too
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Thanks for the translation Mr. Hakeem.
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Wow! That was more than 5 years ago. I had even forgotten about it.
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My home town, Am sure Ibeji is sure for me ewe Ilasa and Yam major food in Igbo ora.
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I Pray for triplet this time and GOD should keep them Alive for me
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Amen. I also pray He provides the resources to take care of them.
Thanks for your comment.
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