Taiwo and Kehinde.

Here in Nigeria, twins are special. They are a blessing. And you know what? The Yoruba people of Nigeria must be especially blessed because they have the highest occurrence of twins in the world (4.4 % of all maternities)!

According to one Web site about Yoruba customs and beliefs:

The first born twin, whether a boy or a girl, is always called Taiwo, meaning ‘having the first taste of the world’, whereas the second is named Kehinde, meaning ‘arriving after the other’. [Hey, I know someone named Kehinde! I'll have to ask him if he's a twin.] 

Although being born first, Taiwo is considered as the younger twin. His senior Kehinde is supposed to send out his partner to see what the outside world looks like. As soon as Taiwo has given a signal by crying, Kehinde will follow. Kehinde is supposed to be more careful, more intelligent and more reflective, while Taiwo is believed to be more curious and adventurous, but also more nonchalant.

One morning, Nathan (a twin) asked me how far behind his sister he was when he was born.

"Hours? Days?" (Heaven help me, no, not days!)

"Four minutes," I answered.

"Oh."

"But in Nigeria, you are considered the oldest. Because the older and wiser twin pushed the younger one out first to see if the world was okay."

"Is that why I'm taller?" he asked.

"No, but you can tell Bitsy you're the oldest."

He grinned like the big, goofy, gangly kid he is and headed out the door to school ... my little Kehinde.

But just wait 'til Taiwo gets wind of this! She will not be happy.

Taiwo and Kehinde a long, long time ago.