A rare event in Nigeria: Twin brothers marry twin sisters in a unique wedding ceremony.

Written by: Ayman Ragab

The city of Ibadan, located in southwestern Nigeria, witnessed an extraordinary event over the weekend that attracted the attention of attendees who realized they were participating in a rare occasion.

The twin brothers Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntuwe celebrated their wedding to the twin sisters Taiwo and Kehinde Adidiran, in an atmosphere filled with joy and happiness.

The Yoruba people, who make up the majority of the population in southwestern Nigeria, are known for their high rates of twin births, but the marriage of two twin brothers to two twin sisters on the same day is a rare occurrence.

“We know many twins, but this marriage feels like it was ordained by God,” Taiwo Oguntowe told BBC Europa on the wedding day. “We have always dreamed of marrying twins.”.

He added: “Thanks to God, we pray that God will bless us with twins in our first and second children. This is our wish,” according to the BBC.

The status of twins in Yoruba culture

Twins hold a special place in Yoruba culture, where they are seen as a blessing and given specific names according to tradition. The older child is called Tayo, meaning "the one who experiences the world," while the younger is called Kehinde, meaning "the one who comes after.".

The love story between the Oguntuwe and Adediran families began about a decade ago, when the four of them were studying at the University of Ibadan.

During that time, one of the professors told the Oguntuwe brothers that he knew two twin sisters who were worth getting to know, which piqued their interest.

Taiwo Oguntowe said: “It’s not that we haven’t met twin sisters before. We’ve dated some of them, but sometimes things didn’t go well.”.

Initially, the Adedirane sisters rejected the idea of getting to know each other and did not respond to the professor's calls, before a meeting was eventually arranged between the two parties.

Taiwo Oguntowe, now in his early forties, recalls those moments, saying: “In the end, we visited them and talked to them, but they weren’t interested in a romantic relationship at the time.”.

Study abroad

The relationship turned into a friendship at that time, before life's circumstances separated them, as the two sisters, who were studying for their master's degrees in Ibadan, traveled abroad to complete their studies, while the two brothers worked in several countries, including the United States and South Africa.

Over the years, and despite the doubts that accompanied the beginning, the relationship between the two parties became much stronger.

The families of the bride and groom expressed their happiness with these marriages, as Taiwo Oguntowe recalled how he felt welcomed from the beginning by his wife's family, saying: “Everyone was absolutely delighted to see us, we felt as if we had known them for a long time. They treated us like sons in our father's house.”.

The wedding was attended by a large number of family members, many of whom wore matching outfits. Several other twins also participated, which was unsurprising given the couple's commitment to supporting twin culture. The brothers, known locally as the "Oguntowe Twins," are active in cultural and tourism initiatives.

The two brothers differ in some physical characteristics because they are fraternal twins, while their wives are identical twins.

Each couple will live in a separate place.

Kehinde Oguntowe said: “Our wives are so alike that their family members sometimes confuse them. We don’t confuse them; we know our wives very well.”.

The brothers indicated that they share similar personalities with their wives, and describe themselves as calm, balanced, and sociable depending on the situation.

Despite the strength of their relationship, Taiwo Oguntowe explained that each couple will live in a separate house, adding: “We have a special plan for this, and people will get to know it over time.”.

Currently, the four couples are enjoying the beginning of a new chapter in a love story that began with a seemingly perfect meeting, then stalled for years, before ending with two of the most famous marriages in the region.