Though their domains have been absorbed into the government of the modern nation of Nigeria, traditional kings often have considerable local and national political power. The compound is the organizational core of Yoruba culture. Compounds are therefore associations of related males and serve as basic landholding and political units. Each compound also maintains its unique rituals and ancestral shrines. Formerly, heads of compounds were also represented before the king and provided military support, as a unit, to the king in times of war.
Religion is equal in importance to kinship and politics for the structure of Yoruba society.
Though both Christianity and Islam have made deep inroads, many forms of traditional religious expression persist and remain very much a part of Yoruba daily life. Others are universal in Yoruba belief and maintain vigorous cults in Nigeria and in Cuba and Brazil as well. Twinning as a biological phenomenon is exceptionally common among the Yoruba. Forty-five births in 1000 are twins. This is a rate of twinning which is four times that of either the United States of Great Britain.