By Ademola Aderemi
It was the annual International Widows’ Day and the road from Akowonjo Roundabout to Egbeda became lively, as women from all walks of life staged an advocacy walk to press for the rights of women across Nigeria.
It was a week-long programme organised by the Isaac Mercy Foundation, a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation. This year’s programme featured empowerment for widows, women advocacy and enlightenment on the rights of the widows.
Founder of the non-governmental organisation, Mrs. Oyeyemi Adewole Mercy said the advocacy walk on widow’s rights tagged: ‘Widows are Heroes’ was a part of the foundation’s efforts to commemorate the 2023 edition of International Widow’s Day in Lagos.
Mrs. Adewole, who is also the author of the book – ‘Widows are Heroes’ added that the foundation was established a few years ago after she lost her husband, the late Isaac Adewole.
She disclosed that she had since decided to use the foundation to advocate and raise her voice to seek redress against violation of widows’ rights and also strengthen the women through continuous advocacy.
She stated further that her desire to give hope to the widows through her humanitarian services started long time ago, but noted that the foundation was launched officially in January this year.
She added that she had been the major sponsor of all the activities of the organization and that the funding has been from her and a few other friends that believe in her dream.
“We are passionate about securing a better future for women, especially widows that have been abandoned because they lost their husbands and breadwinners.
“We are using the platform to draw global attention to the plights of the widows,” she said.
The empowerment programme, she said, was to engage women in free training in liquid soap making, and detergents, costume and fashion material, Adire and bead making, catering services, tailoring and hair-dressing and others. These, she said, were part of the empowerment programme that had been put in place for the widows and women generally.
Mrs. Adewole expressed regrets on how widows are being treated in Nigeria, saying widows are always subjected to various societal woes, distress, torture and trauma such as banishment and deprivation.
“We are kicking against the idea of victimising, humiliating and we are also using the platform to build the confidence of the widows. The fact that a woman lost her husband didn’t make her a slave in our society and it is not the end of her life and that of the children.
“So we are encouraging the widows to be confident and stand on their feet in order to chart a new course towards achieving their lofty dreams.”
She noted that the foundation had secured the services of reputable lawyers to seek redress and fight for the rights of the widows and women.
“We are offering a pro-bono service for the widows and women that have been assaulted. This is part of the reason for this foundation.
“We also sponsor the education of some of the children of the widows and we have an up- to-date data of all the widows we are taking care of. Recently, we paid the examination fees of over 100 secondary school students that are preparing for their school leaving certificate examination.”
Secretary of the foundation, Bukola Lanre-Oguntuyi urged all men to work on preparing their will before their demise, adding that the Federal Governments must commit to the welfare of the widows by making laws that protects the rights of the widows against assault and harassment.
“The judiciary should invalidate the customary laws that forbid widows from inheriting their husbands’ property, as the Supreme Court ruled on female child inheritance in 2020. This will promote women advocacy and strengthen the widows and give them hope.
“When a man dies, whatever he left behind belongs to the widow and the children and not the family of the deceased.
“So, Isaac Mercy Foundation has decided to take this up as part of our advocacy programme and we believe we can use that to rekindle the hope of the widows across the country,” she stated.
Mrs. Nzofor Bennis also charged the widows to speak up whenever they are being abused or victimised. She said being a widow is not a crime and it is not by their making.
She also urged the government to support the Nigerian widows by providing for their upkeep and that of the children.
More than 200 widows and women seeking to be empowered took part in the advocacy walk that lasted for over two hours. As they moved from one destination to another, they also displayed placards with various inscriptions that signified interest in widows and women advocacy.