Widowhood and Its Harmful Practices: Causes, Effects and the Possible Way out for Widows and Women Folk

Abstract

This study investigates widowhood practices in Nigeria in Southwestern, Nigeria. It particularly examines the influencing factors for the harmful widowhood practices in spite of modernization. The researcher discovered that there are certain cultural imbalances in the practice of widowhood between widows and widowers. And that the disorganizing and traumatic experience which accompanies the death of the husband tends to be greater than that which accompanies the death of the wife. The study revealed that; illiteracy, poverty, male-dominated society, poor socio-economic status of women, religion belief and traditional inheritance laws are factors responsible for the harmful practices. These directly and indirectly have negative effects on widows and their children. This study therefore recommends qualitative education for the girl-child at early stage, enlightenment programmes and vocational skills acquisition for all women, particularly widows, as means of reducing, if not totally eradicated the harmful rites, unjust discrimination and inhuman treatments against widows and the generality of women.