Vinapriscaz Blog

" My husband and I loved each other. He would never have wanted me to suffer. What you want me to do is cruel and no human being deserves it", she said with tears in her eyes. But the people would have non of that. Other women went through it, so her case can't be different. At the end, it was decided that she should be banished from the community- she had already enjoyed a grace period of two weeks. Even now as I write my report, I still ponder on the cruelty of the whole thing. It is utterly dehumanizing and no human being should be made to go through all of that. Widowhood practice, sadly has not completely come to an end in our society. This gross dehumanization of the very people who need the most care is still there, doing all harm and no good. Let's all in one voice, speak against this ill. Human rights activists should put in  more efforts, to ensure that this wickedness is completely eliminated from the society.

When I had settled down, I engaged my host in a conversation and I found out that the village was in excitement over the refusal of a woman- a widow who had just lost her husband, to obey the laws laid down by the Umuada to be observed by all widows immediately her husband dies. The woman, Akunna a mother of 4 children lost her husband two weeks ago. She and her late husband resided in the city and were forced back to the village due to hardship seven years ago. Though without any formal education, Akunna was an enlightened woman. She wouldn’t bulge to the pressure mounted on her by the Umuada to keep to the age long tradition of the community. Hence, the village head called for a meeting of all the villagers to the market square the next day to decide on the suitable punishment for her. It was the first time the law was disregarded. I was just in time, I thought to myself. Being present at the meeting tomorrow would enable me get the information I needed first hand. So I thanked my...