Imoke opposes widows humiliation

Wife of the governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, has charged monarchs in the state, who are custodians of culture, to review all traditional practices that subject widows to humiliation.

The governor’s wife, who spoke in Calabar on Monday as part of activities to mark the International Widows Day, also called on leaders at the federal, state and local levels to take practical steps towards ameliorating the deplorable plight of widows in the country.

She said the International Widows Day was a day set aside by the United Nations to draw global attention to the plight and circumstances of widows all over the world.

According to her, making it imperative for widows to drink a portion of the water used in washing her dead husband’s corpse was most humiliating.

“Our traditional rulers, who are the custodians of our culture, need to review all traditional practices that subjects widows to indignity,” she said.

While stressing that widows do not need to be pitied, Imoke said they needed to be provided with the economic tools to better their livelihood.