Widow Manhandled Over Refusal To Shave Her Hair

A widow identified as Madam Comfort Okwuolise, of Ulogwe-Isumpe, Utagba- Uno community, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State was, yesterday, manhandled by her late husband’s kinsmen following her refusal to shave her hair in  keeping with traditional widowhood rites.

The widow, reports said, a septuagenarian mother of seven, was allegedly beaten up right inside her house by a team of her late husband’s kinsmen who  descended on her with palm fronds and armed with traditional white chalk including empty snail shells.

LEADERSHIP reliably gathered that trouble started for her three years ago when she lost her husband after a protracted illness.

The widow, our reporter learnt, insisted that she was a Christian and could not be subjected to such rituals. This resulted in conflict between her and her husband’s kinsmen.

Speaking with leadership, the widow said, “When the issue of traditional mourning for my late husband came up, I discovered that the rituals were against my Christian doctrine hence my refusal. I also found out that the shaved hair would be dumped in the bin where some characters might make use of it for rituals.”

Our informed sources said that failure on the part of the widow to comply could imply ostracism; the widow might also be barred from buying and selling in the community’s market after which residents would stop greeting her.

LEADERSHIP checks revealed that madam Okwuolise’s issue resurfaced when another woman who attends the same church with her lost her husband and insisted on mourning him in the Christian way rather than obeying the tradition.

To avoid a repeat, the community elders were said to have sent some youth to the woman and when she could not be found, they allegedly transferred the aggression on madam Okwuolise whose husband reportedly died in 2009.

Eye witness said that after the alleged attack on the widow, the pastor of her church alongside others reported the matter to the police at Ndemili where three persons were said to have been arrested.

At the police station, some police officers who did not want their names in the print confirmed the incident adding that investigation was ongoing with a view to ensuring peace reign in the community.

Source: Leadership