IMO FIRST LADY CALLS FOR A STOP TO THE OBNOXIOUS PRACTICES OF WIDOWHOOD

Wife of the Imo State governor, Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha has called on all, especially the Traditional rulers and community opinion leaders as custodian of culture to work tirelessly in curbing the harmful widowhood practices in the communities

 Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha made this call at a forum organized for widows drawn from the 27 LGA of the State at the Grass hopper Sports Stadium, Owerri.

She noted that though legislation has been put in place to check these obnoxious practices in the State, yet in some areas widows are still subjected to all sorts of dehumanizing acts such as being compelled to drink the water used in washing the corpse of their late husband as a proof of innocence in the death of the man, disinheriting widows from the properties of the late husband especially those without male children, among others.

Her Excellency advised that widows should be comforted, encouraged and supported at all times having being exposed to psychological torture arising from the death of their husbands rather than being harassed, intimidated, humiliated and dehumanized.

In her address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Lady Anne Dozie said efforts are intensified to adequately sensitize people on the need to respect the rights of the widows and treat them with due human respect; of which several widowhood cases have been amicably handled and resolved by her Ministry.

Delivering a Talk at the occasion, Pastor Betty Uzoma while reflecting on 1Tim. 5:5-15 enjoined the widows to be hardworking, prayerful, have trust in God and to live above board

Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Jecinta Obizuo, Chinyere Okafor, Patricia and Elizabeth identified ignorance on the part of women as a bottleneck in the fight against these harmful widowhood practices and therefore called on the government and faith based organizations to carry the campaign to the rural areas to achieve more meaningful result

The occasion featured donation of bags of rice and cash to the widows, cutting of cake and a match past by the widows drawn from the 27 LGAs in the State.