Widows and Man-made Experiences in Anioma Culture Area of Delta State: A Socio-Religious Narrative

Abstract

Widowhood practices abound in many cultures in Nigeria but regrettably, many of the widowhood practices are considered Obnoxious and man-made especially among the Igbo of Anioma in Delta State Nigeria. The principal findings of this study indicated that in Anioma, widows experience very devastating challenges in their lives that some wonder why such negative experiences befall them. Such practices include forced moodiness, restriction of movement, in some cases dispossession of husband’s property, subjection to ritual sexual intercourse (Ajana ritual). Others include accusing the widow of killing her husband, not allowing the widow to see the corpse of her husband before burial; forced compulsory load wailings by the widow as an expression of grief and restricting her to a set of derogatory clothing for a specified period of mourning. The researcher recommended a socio-religious process whereby the church should be involved in defending and ameliorating the plights of the widows. The women on their own should as well lead a common front in protecting their gender. In executing this research, however, the researcher adopted analytical method as well as the primary and secondary sources of data collection