Human Rights of Widows: A Study of Widowhood Practices in a Nigerian Society

Abstract

The subject of widowhood practices remains one of the serious issues of our times and one which has elicited mixed interpretations. Nigeria, being a multi-ethnic society, has different forms of widowhood practices that reflect its cultural diversity. This study focuses on widowhood practices in the south-eastern part of the country which is populated mostly by the Igbo-speaking ethnic group, one of Nigeria’s largest groups. Marriage, as one of the basic institutions of any society, is laden with many challenges for most couples. For the woman, this is worsened by the loss of her husband. In Nigeria’s Igbo society, when a woman loses her husband, her identity suddenly changes. After the death of her husband, she no longer is viewed as a pure and complete woman. Widows in many Igbo communities are subjected to dehumanizing practices that cause them to suffer physical as well as psychological trauma. Unfortunately, such cultural practices are perpetuated by the umuada (patrilineal daughters) who call themselves preservers of the local culture and tradition. In spite of the enactment of many laws for the protection of the rights of widows, widows in Igbo society still face social discrimination and deprivation and are often denied their due inheritance. This paper analyses the phenomenon of Igbo widowhood practices with a view to understanding the cultural and social milieu in which such gender-oriented practices thrive.