ORIN ÌBEJÌ (Song for Twin Children)

The Yorùbá people: Ọmọ Káàárọ̀-oòjíire.

One of the three largest ethnic groups of Nigeria, in West Africa. Concentrated in the southwestern part of the country. Much smaller, scattered groups live in Benin and northern Togo. The Yorùbá numbered more than 35 million at the turn of the 21st century, making them one of the largest Ethnic groups in Africa. Yorùbá people speak Yorùbá Language.

 

ORIN ÌBEJÌ (Song for Twin Children)

There are many songs written for Twin children in the Yoruba kingdom, these songs, some of which are lullabies written specifically for Twin children and some are songs with Encomium to hail and calm twin kids.

Orin ibeji is a traditional folk song of the Yoruba people which has been for centuries ago with the composer unknown. It is believed that the song is sacred and the lyrics of the song are powerful and can make a woman’s wish of giving birth to Twin children come true when it is being sung for Twin children to please the twin children.

This song Orin ibeji is sung by women who love and are willing to have twin children and most especially by Barren women who are yet to conceive and want a double portion of the child’s blessings.

The lyrics go thus:

Chorus:

Épo n bẹ, ẹ̀wà n bẹ o!!

Àyà mi ò já, ó ye, àyà mi ò já láti bí ìbejì o,

Épo n bẹ, ẹ̀wà n bẹ o!!

Verse 1:

Táyélolú ló ní nkí gbogbo yín o, n yíò sí kí gbogbo yín lọ́kọ̀kan

Ọmọ kẹ́hìndé ló ní nkí gbogbo yín o, n yíò sí kí gbogbo yín lọ́kọ̀kan.

Verse 2:

Mo lé po ní ilè, mo ní ẹ̀wà ní òde o

Épo n bẹ, ẹ̀wà n bẹ o!!

English Translation

Chorus:

There is palm oil, there are Beans!!

I am not afraid to give birth to Twin children.

Verse 1:

Taiwo sends greetings to all of you and I’ll greet you all one by one.

Kéhìndé sends greetings to all of you and I’ll greet you all one by one.

Verse 2:

I have palm oil in my house and Beans in my possession.

There is palm oil, there are Beans!! Come to me, twin children, I am capable to take care of you.

It is believed in the Yoruba kingdom that, Twin children’s best delicacy is Beans cooked with palm oil and that, there is a god that is responsible for making a woman bear twin children called Òòsà ìbejì. If you want to conceive a twin child, you can appease it by making the sacrifice of cooked Beans and oil and feeding all the available twin children in your environment and all those who are hungry and has nothing to it. When this is done, it is believed that if your intentions are true and it pleases the Twin god, you’ll conceive and give birth to Twin children with ease.