The Anambra State Government enacted widows malpractices prohibition law aimed at protecting women from all forms of inhuman treatment meted to them in the society.
Speaking to the ABS crew in Awka on harmful traditional practices often forced upon widows, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Mrs Ify Obinabo disclosed that it is a crime that when a husband dies, his relatives will inherent all his property including his wife by using fetish means or send the wife and children away from their home, saying that such inhuman treatment is punishable by law.
The commissioner also encouraged widows suffering obnoxious traditional practices like widows being forced to undergo humiliating rituals such as drinking the water used to wash their husband’s corpse, lucked up in a room with the corpse for a long time and other forms of deprivations to bring such report to her ministry for help as such harmful traditions infringe on their fundamental rights.
She maintained that the state government has also established a special court that handles issues relating to harmful widowhood practices.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area, Igwe Ben Emeka who revealed that cases of obnoxious traditional practices against widows does not exist in his community, condemned the barbaric act in its entirety, nothing that traditional rulers in Anambra are against harmful widowhood practices and they ensure that those who indulge in it are prosecuted when they receive such report.
The monarch advised communities still practising such to review their existing tradition and expunge all forms of harmful treatments against widows as they are no longer relevant in the social system.
On her part, a widow, Mrs Patricia Obi told ABS that since 2018 her husband died leaving her with six children, her mother in-law seized her husband’s share of his late father’s property and has been using them, which has increased their suffering, calling on Anambra State Government to come to their aid.
