The following folktale explains why the Yoruba revere twins as signs of good will from the gods.

In ancient times in the town of Ishokun, which later became a part of Oyo, there was a farmer who was known everywhere as a hunter of monkeys. Because his fields produced good crops, monkeys came from the bush and fed there. The monkeys became a pestilence to the farmer. He tried to drive them away. But they came, they went, they returned again to feed. The farmer could not leave his fields unguarded. He and his sons took turns watching over the fields. Still the monkeys came and had to be driven away with stones and arrows.

Because of his desperation and anger the farmer went everywhere to kill monkeys. He hunted them in the fields, he hunted them...