Twins popularly referred to as“Ìbejì or Èjìrẹ́” in the Yorùbá culture are believed to be of preternatural origin and are said to possess the supernatural ability to bestow wealth, happiness, health and prosperity upon the family in which they are born. It is also said that they bring death, sadness and pestilence to the family and even the community depending on how well they are loved and cared for, and as such twins are treated with reverence, love and adoration. According to the Yorùbá belief, the first child that comes out of the womb is called “Taiwo” because he is sent by “Kehinde” to have a taste of the world to judge if it’s fit to live in before he/she comes out. 

Being that twins are seen as deities, a special meal is cooked by their parents which is customarily known as “Ẹ̀wà Ìbejì”, made from beans, and are offered as sacrifice to them as often as weekly, fortnightly or monthly to honour them. According to the tradition, the meal is prepared 41 days after they’re born to appease their “head” for blessings of good health and prosperity. The ingredients for preparing “Ẹ̀wà Ìbejì” are;

• Beans
• Dry pepper
• Onions
• Palm oil
• Salt

The beans are boiled for about 45-50mins with a little salt until it is soft. Then the pepper and the onions are blended. In a separate pot, the palm oil is heated a little, then the blended pepper is added along with seasoning and salt. The beans can be served with bread or garri.

The reason why beans are used is because it is a staple food that looks identical when split in two, and this portrays the duality of twins. The meal is also prepared whenever the twins are sick, or acting troublesome. It is believed that if the mother fails to honor the tradition of preparing “Ẹ̀wà Ìbejì” for the twins, misfortune befalls one or both of the parents, such misfortune could be sudden poverty, miscarriage, abnormally long pregnancy, persistent sickness, infant mortality or loss of property and wealth.

Although majority of the Yorùbás are now christians or muslims, they still observe the tradition of cooking Ẹ̀wà Ìbejì for their twins.