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On a normal day, visitors might just do a double take as they walk past Igbo Ora, wondering why so many residents are wearing matching clothes.
But this weekend, there was no doubting that the town in southwestern Nigeria was something special.
With fanfare, extravaganza, talent shows and even a royal visit, hundreds of people flocked to the self-proclaimed “twin capital of the world” to celebrate an unusually high fertility rate.
“Here in Igbo Ora, there are very few families without twins,” said the visiting Yoruba King, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, who is a twin himself.
Yoruba culture worships twins and their first names are traditionally fixed. Taiwo means “one who tastes the world” for the eldest son, and Kehinde means “one who came later” for the second son.
Population experts say the town stands out among the Yorubaland region, which has an above-average incidence of identical twins.
Scientific studies and hospital records show that the average twin birth rate worldwide is about 12 per 1,000 live births, but in Igbo-Ora it is believed to be closer to 50 per 1,000.
Explanations of abundance vary.
Many residents consider it a meal, especially irasa soup with okra leaves, yam and amala (cassava flour).
Fertility experts and some residents are skeptical, saying there is no proven link between diet and high twinning rates.
Scientists are studying how genetic factors and the unique cultural status of twins increase their chances of finding a partner and having children.
Whatever the reason, everyone in town agrees that having twins in abundance is a blessing. This year, even more so, as Nigeria faces its worst economic crisis in a generation.
Suriat Mobolaj gave birth to twins eight months ago and said her family has received many gifts since then.
“My life has changed,” the 30-year-old said, holding his son in his arms.
“I can’t give birth to twins and keep my luck down,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Taiwo Ojewale, a research assistant specializing in Yoruba culture at the University of Ibadan, said the celebration of twins is “rooted in traditional religious beliefs.”
He explained that the twins are considered a gift from the supreme god Olodumare and Igbo-Ora oral history describes them as a reward after a series of disasters that befell the community.
When the event began on Saturday, the town erupted with joy. At the festival venue, staff rolled out a red carpet for the young and old twins.
They paraded in perfect matching outfits, from flashy sunglasses and patterned Adire fabrics to toddlers wearing purple dresses and matching handbags.
Dozens more twins watched from the stands or ran side by side through the city.
The festival’s organizers, who are twins themselves, say they hope to eventually break the world record for the most twins on Earth.
