From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State Executive Council presided over by Governor Samuel Ortom, has approved a Bill for a Law to establish the Benue State Widows Commission, to prohibit harmful practices against widows as well as protect them from exploitative acts, punish offenders and for related purposes.
The decision of the Ortom administration to enact the law is premised on the fact that there are several ethnic groups in the state with diverse cultural norms and practices, which negatively impact widows upon the death of their husbands.
“These include but not limited to disinheritance from the assets of a deceased husband, banishment from a late husband’s home, being forced to marry a relation of the deceased husband among others.”
The council viewed that in some cases, a widow is likened to a property of the deceased to be inherited by his relations.
“Most often, such widows have children for the deceased and have the task of nurturing the children without any assistance from the relations of the deceased.
“In some instances, some are denied their fundamental rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
“It is in the face of such a helpless situation of widows that the Ortom administration has initiated the Bill in order to assuage the position of widows as regards inheritance of their late husbands’ assets and to protect and guarantee their fundamental rights as well as obviate the obnoxious cultural practices which deny them the right of inheriting their late husbands’ property amongst others.
“The Bill seeks to protect widows from both monogamous and polygamous marriages.”
According to the Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Media and publicity, Terver Akase, the Benue State Widows Commission envisioned by the proposed law will have the power and responsibility to support, protect and build the capacity of widows in the state whereby they can own their property and inherit the assets of their deceased husbands.
“Consequently, the widows can fend for themselves and their children without harassment from any individual or group of persons.
Akase said: “It shall be the duty of the Commission to, among others, coordinate and monitor the implementation of widows programmes and activities; initiate and support measures which shall enhance the welfare of widows; assist widows by providing support services; create awareness and sensitization of widows on the protection of their rights under a subsisting Widows Protection Law in the State.