Twin infanticide among the Igbo speaking people were acknowledged by Ball & Hill (1996), Thomas (1913), Uchendu (1965) amongst others. The work of Kuper (1987) cited in Ball & Hill (1996) argue that the Bantu groups liken twins to wild animals and as such viewed in a bad light which leads to twin infanticide. This opinion was echoed before them by Uchendu (1965) when he argued that “certain births are nso, (ala)-taboo- among the Igbo. The birth of twins was regarded as a great calamity. The mother was isolated and the children destroyed. The navel cords were not severed” (p.58).
Although the utmost care has been taken to make the data accurate, there is one disturbing factor which nothing could eliminate, and that is the custom of infanticide,
Although the utmost care has been taken to make the data accurate, there is one disturbing factor which nothing could eliminate, and that is the custom of infanticide,