Igbo-Ora in Nigeria and Kodinhi village in India are intriguing and mysterious places known for producing the highest number of twins in the world, with rates rapidly increasing. Many scientists have tried to explain this phenomenon, but their explanations seem insufficient.
Igbo-Ora, located 80 km from Lagos, the most populous city in Africa, is one of the strangest towns in Nigeria, where many families have twins at the highest rate globally.
Is it Due to Eating Cassava and Ilasa Soup?
The residents of Igbo-Ora are primarily farmers and traders. This town is dubbed the “Twin Town of the World” because it has the highest twin birth rate globally. Almost every household in this town has at least one pair of twins.
While there are speculations that twin births may be due to genetics, research suggests that the high rates of multiple births may be linked to the dietary habits of women in this region.
Cassava is quite popular in the diets of the Yoruba people, as it can be consumed in various forms such as Amala, Garri, Fufu, and many traditional stews. Studies conducted on twin births at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria indicate that high levels of chemicals found in the skins of cassava and taro root are present in Yoruba women.
According to a BBC interview in 2001, a gynecologist who has witnessed numerous cases of multiple births at the hospital stated: “These substances are often linked to the release of more than one egg. This suggests that environmental factors may promote higher concentrations of these chemicals.”
Many research studies have indicated that foods derived from roots consumed by Yoruba women, especially the skins, contain a significant amount of these chemicals. Women from this region have an unusually high level of these chemicals in their bodies, encouraging the release of more than one egg. There is sufficient reason to believe in this hypothesis.
However, the leader of the Igbo-Ora community has linked the high birth rates to the soup they consume with these tubers, stating: “We eat a lot of okra leaves or Ilasa soup. We also eat plenty of taro, and these diets influence multiple births.”
Although there is no scientific explanation or evidence that consuming cassava or taro causes multiple births, could the Ilasa soup of Nigerians be the reason for the high twin birth rate in Igbo-Ora?
Dr. Lawrence, a lecturer in Obstetrics at York Medical School in the UK, noted that taro or okra grown in Igbo-Ora may contain substances that stimulate women’s bodies to produce gonadotropins, a chemical agent that stimulates ovulation. Instead of releasing just one egg, they may release two eggs in the same cycle. However, Dr. Ekujumi Olarenwaju, teaching at Lagos Medical School, offers a different explanation: “Over many years of observation, I have found that some women in Igbo-Ora give birth to twins due to two sperm fertilizing one egg, not necessarily because there are two eggs; thus, the cause could be genetic mutation.”
With the research team of Dr. Davis Pollock from Johns Hopkins Medical School in the USA, they stated: “Over two years, we had 10 women volunteer to participate in the study just before their weddings. By ultrasound examination of their ovaries, we found that all 10 women released only one egg, but six weeks into their pregnancies, three out of these ten women were expecting twins. This explains that two sperm from the husband fertilized one egg, but we cannot answer why the rate is so high.”
A woman takes a photo with her twins before the Igbo-Ora World Twins Festival. (Image: AFP).
Scientists are examining genetic factors and the appeal of twins that may help them find partners more easily, thereby increasing their chances of having children. Whatever the reason may be, the people of Igbo-Ora unanimously agree that having twins is a blessing—especially in the context of Nigeria facing its most severe economic crisis in a generation.
Ms. Suliat Mobolaji, 30, who gave birth to twins eight months ago, could not hide her joy while speaking about it: “Having twins has changed my life. You cannot have twins without being lucky. It is a gift from God.”
The festival last weekend further amplified this joy. A red carpet was rolled out for numerous pairs of twins, young and old, all dressed in matching outfits, from traditional garments made from adire fabric to little girls dressed in purple dresses and carrying identical handbags. Dozens of other twins paraded through the town’s streets.
The organizers, who are also twins, hope to set a world record for the largest number of twins participating in an event. Twin brothers Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye, 39, even plan to hold a collective wedding for twins next year.
Taiwo proudly stated: “Being a twin brings luck, fame, and wealth. That is why we Yoruba people always welcome the birth of twins, and perhaps that is why God has blessed us with the highest number of twins in the world.”
The Strange Village in India Where Every Household Has Twins
Doctors in India are scratching their heads to solve the mystery of more than 220 pairs of twins born from 2,000 families in Kodinhi village in Kerala. Experts are puzzled by this rare phenomenon, which is nearly six times the global average.
In 2008, 300 women gave birth to healthy babies, among which 15 pairs of twins were born in the village. According to census data, 60 pairs of twins have been born in the last five years in Kodinhi. This indicates that the twin birth rate is increasing each year and is expected to break previous records by 2017.
Dr. Krishnan Sribiju, based in Kerala and conducting scientific research on twin births, has been delving into the mystery of the high number of twin births in Kodinhi for two years. He believes the actual number of twin pairs in the village may be greater than the official records indicate. Dr. Sribiju stated: “In my opinion, there are about 300 to 350 pairs of twins in Kodinhi.”
He further mentioned: “Interestingly, the number of twin pairs is increasing each year, to the point where I feel the number of twins in Kodinhi has doubled over the last decade.”
Villagers recount that the phenomenon of twin births has existed for three generations. Dr. Sribiju added: “To the best of my knowledge, this medical miracle began around 60 to 70 years ago.”
According to him, the cause of this phenomenon may lie in the food and drink consumed by the villagers. Dr. Sribiju stated: “Without the detailed biochemical analysis equipment, I cannot definitively state the reasons behind the twin births, but I feel it is related to what the villagers eat.”
He also mentioned that he has ruled out genetic factors or any unknown pollutants that could be responsible for the village’s unique characteristics.
“Considering the low twin birth rates in India, especially in Asia, it is astonishing to see a village in India with such an overwhelming number of twins. The global twin birth rate, particularly in Western countries, has increased due to artificial insemination. Moreover, twins are often born to older women. In Kodinhi, that does not happen because the marriage age here is much younger, around 18–20 years,” Dr. Sribiju said.
