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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Widows In Igboland Battle Against Culture That Men Love To Preserve (part 2) (264 Views)
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Widows In Igboland Battle Against Culture That Men Love To Preserve (part 2) by Shehuyinka: 2:10pm On Oct 28, 2020 |
This report by Alfred AJAYI presents the experiences and testimonies of women from South-Eastern Nigeria where the practice of disinheritance of widows is prevalent. Igbo culture and tradition on disinheritance of widows THE traditional ruler of Breme Community, Eha-Alumona in Nsukka Local Government Area, Igwe Cassidy Eze, agrees that the custom around inheritance in Igboland is in favour of men, and is unlikely to change soon. “Whatever a man had when he was alive belongs to the male children. You don’t have to include a girl-child in your property while you are alive sharing it. But if your male children decide to give part of your property to their sister, who happens to be your daughter, that is their goodwill but it is no tradition. When a woman marries, she will not take anything to the husband because she will get new property from the new husband. “If the girl is not married, the first son of her father can use his discretion and give out anything to the girl. However, if before he dies, the man gives out anything to the daughter, that remains so,” Igwe Eze submitted. The custom in Ugwaji- Awkunanaw, a community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, forbids a childless widow to inherit her husband’s property. This was disclosed by the regent of the community, Onowu Dennis Okeke-Ani, who also recalled past cases which saw uncles or brothers to the deceased dispossessing widows of the property of their brothers. “Yes, they try to deny the woman the right of inheritance. And, if the woman sees that she has nothing there, she can find her way. Likewise, girls have no inheritance in their father’s family. They are only to pray to have a husband and go out of their father’s house. “If the girl decides to stay in her father’s compound and start bearing children, she then has the right to be the owner of the compound. If not, the uncles may claim her father’s property. However, if the father has business outfits, vehicles in the cities, he has the right to give the female child anything he wants but not the ones in the village, according to the tradition, the girl has no inheritance right”. The traditional ruler of Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, agreed that Igbo culture and, indeed, that of his community does not permit female children to inherit their father’s estates. He noted, however, that a widow is at liberty to inherit her husband’s estate. “In Igboland, girls don’t inherit their father’s estate. Are you saying that when my sister gets married to an American, she will carry my father’s estate to an American husband? That is not possible. However, our culture does not forbid widows from inheriting their late husbands’ estates. In fact, it is expected that the relations of the dead men will rally round their widows to ensure that they and their children don’t suffer. It is not cultural to disinherit the widows”. The traditional ruler of the Nkaliki Echara Unuhu community in Ebonyi Local Government Area, Eze Sunday Oketa, gave an insight into the dictates of culture in that area concerning the right of widows to inheritance. “In Igboland, when you marry and God blesses you with children, the first son of the family is the father of the family after the death of his father. He will carry all his brothers along including his mother. But, the mother, being the widow, has the right to tell her children what is supposed to be. And her children will listen to her because their father is no more living. “In our own custom in Izzi, when your husband dies, it does not mean that the property of your husband does not belong to you anymore. It is just that the children of the dead man will be taking care of the property of the father including the mother. No relation has the right to collect her husband’s property. We don’t do that here”. What do the laws say on disinheritance? The right to freedom from discrimination is internationally recognized as a human right and enshrined the principle of egalitarianism, which is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enshrined in international human rights laws. Article Two of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or another status. The Nigeria Constitution 1999 (as amended), in its Chapter4, Section 42, equally protects citizens from any form of discrimination on the basis of place of origin, sex, religion, or political opinion. The Chairperson of FIDA in Anambra State, Professor Ikpeze, said there are local laws protecting the interest of widows in the area, especially against disinheritance. ”We have the Widowhood and Widowerhood Rights Law of Anambra State 2005. Section 4 sub-section G, states that you cannot drive a widow out of her husband’s house. The law empowers the widow to inherit her husband’s property. “Besides, we have the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015) at the federal level and VAPP Law 2017 in Anambra State, which prescribes punishments for harmful traditional practices, including disinheritance.” READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/disinheritance-widows-in-igboland-battle-against-culture-that-men-love-to-preserve-part-2/
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Re: Widows In Igboland Battle Against Culture That Men Love To Preserve (part 2) by tillaman(m): 2:15pm On Oct 28, 2020 |
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Re: Widows In Igboland Battle Against Culture That Men Love To Preserve (part 2) by godofuck231: 2:56pm On Oct 28, 2020 |
the show is simple, igbo men should stop marring Igbo girls and the men should institute the local laws stating the hair to their estate automatically and it would be written in the Igbo constitution. |
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