WIDOWHOOD, JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW IN AFRICA: NIGERIAN - IGBO PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Widowhood practices and rituals dehumanize women as against the claim made by Okoro that widowhood ritual and rites are not meant to dehumanize any specie of humanity [man or woman] as both species are indispensable part of each other and as both play important but distinct roles in maintaining the ontological harmony that nature needs to operate freely and smoothly as to attain its selfhood†(Okoro, 2018). This study has shown that widowhood practices vary in Nigeria and even in Igbo land but noted the general patterns among the Igbo. The paper extrapolated that widows are subjected to the various practices, such as wailing, ritual confinement, accusation of being responsible for the death of the husband, deprivation of property etc. because of the patrilineal nature of Igbo culture, which generates the customary laws and advocates for education and awareness programs especially for the rural women and the reformation of the customary law.