A Survey of Widowhood Practices In Edo State

Abstract

This study surveyed widowhood practices in Edo State. Three (3) research questions were raised to guide the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of this study consists of all widows living in Edo State, Nigeria, who had gone through widowhood arrangements and the major instruments used for data collection was the questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated using the content method and the reliability was determined through test-retest method which produced a reliability index of 0.86. The data collected were analyzed using frequency count percentage and mean score analysis. A sample size of Three hundred (300) widows were purposively selected from the major ethnic groups in Edo State which are Binis and Esan. All the respondents were identified as widows from their various communities in the States. This was selected through purposive sampling procedure. The findings of the study revealed that widows are confined to indoors practice throughout the period of mourning, subjected to oath taking exercise to prove they are not responsible for the death of their husband, forced to marry their late husband brothers, made to wear black or white mourning clothes and, their head, pubic areas and eye brows are also shaved during mourning. Though not too prevalent these days as it was in the past but in some places in Edo state, they still practice these inhuman acts, especially in the rural areas. It was recommended that; an aggressive enlightenment programme should be instituted to educate or provide the understanding on the problems associated with widowhood practices. It was further recommended that widows should also be encouraged and given the opportunity to engage in income generating or poverty alleviation programmes. This would help improve their lot and raise their dignity and respect.