Die Yoruba in Nigeria betrachten die Geburt von Zwillingen als einen besonderen Segen. Wegen der hohen Sterblichkeitsrate sind Yoruba-Mütter aber häufig mit dem Tod eines Kindes konfrontiert. Die Yoruba glauben, dass die Zwillinge gemeinsam nur eine einzige Seele haben. Beim Ableben eines Zwillings wäre der überlebende Zwilling lebensunfähig. Die angefertigte Ibeji-Statue für den verstorbenen Zwillingsteil kann somit die andere halbe Seele enthalten. Darüber hinaus ist die Linie zwischen Leben und Tod für die Yoruba nicht absolut. Es gibt für sie ein enges Wechselspiel zwischen der spirituellen und der materiellen Welt. Der Zwillingskult zählt zu den ältesten Kulten der Menschheit. The Yoruba people of Nigeria consider the birth of twins a special blessing. Due to the high mortality rate of twins, Yoruba mothers are often confronted with a child’s death. The twins are believed to share only one soul. When a twin dies, the surviving twin would be unable to live. The Ibeji sculpture for the deceased twin can thus contain the other half of the soul. Yorubas do not draw a strict line between life and death. To them there is a close interaction between the spiritual and the material world. The Twin Cult is one of the oldest known cults of mankind.

Ahmed Yerima's play celebrates the phenomenon of twins among the Yoruba people. Orisa Ibeji is also about man's fear of death and love of life; destiny and reincarnation; and the place of the gods in human affairs. Yerima employs simple and beautiful language, dynamic characters and deft skill to navigate the labyrinth that is Orisa Ibeji

The "Encyclopedia of the Ibeji" is a new book, with contents and photos completely different from the "Catalogue of the Ibeji", the other volumes by Fausto Polo on the Ibeji. The "Catalogue of the Ibeji" guided to the identification of the place of provenance of the Ibeji using the carving details of the statuette. The "Encyclopedia of the Ibeji" guides to the identification of the place of provenance finding a photo of a Ibeji similar to yours among over 500 photos included in the book.

EJIRE (MYTHICAL TWINS) is a monograph about the phenomenon of twins and their deification as cognized and practiced in Yoruba culture. The book in concise headings explore the spiritual, artistic and modernist aspects of the Ibeji tradition, highlighting its peculiarities and the special place twins occupy in the scheme of traditional society. Featured with illustration, the book is written by foremost Neo Negritudian, Wale Sasamura Owoeye.

The authoritative source for information on the people, places, and events of the African Diaspora, spanning five continents and five centuries. The field of African Diaspora studies is rapidly growing. Until now there was no single, authoritative source for information on this broad, complex discipline. Drawing on the work of over 300 scholars, this encyclopedia fills that void. Now the researcher, from high school level up, can go to a single reference for information on the historical, political, economic, and cultural relations between people of African descent and the rest of the world community. Five hundred years of relocation and dislocation, of assimilation and separation have produced a rich tapestry of history and culture into which are woven people, places, and events. This authoritative, accessible work picks out the strands of the tapestry, telling the story of diverse peoples, separated by time and distance, but retaining a commonality of origin and experience. Organized in A–Z sections covering global topics, country of origin, and destination country, the work is designed for easy use by all.