By John Obi
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has ordered an investigation after a widow was forced to drink corpse water at Isieke,Awo-Omamma community in Oru East Local Government Area of the State.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Nkechi Ugwu, who led security operatives and civil groups to rescue the widow and stopped the barbaric ritual , the governor vowed strict punishment for those involved and reaffirmed zero tolerance for harmful traditional practices against women
Relatives of a deceased man had reportedly tried to force his wife,Mrs Chika Ndubuisi to drink the water used in washing his corpse. The governor has directed a full-scale investigation to identify and prosecute those behind the act.
He warned that such dehumanizing practices would not be tolerated under any circumstance in the state.
The intervention came after the Ministry of Women Affairs received a report that Chika’s in-laws were attempting to subject her to the cruel ritual to prove her innocence in her husband’s death. Odinakachi Ndubuisi, her late husband, was said to have died from complications related to hepatitis. Security operatives were at the Isieke community burial where the attempted widowhood ritual was stopped.
Current Matters gathered that the widow was locked inside the ambulance conveying her husband’s remains to the community and was ordered not to alight until she drank the water used to wash the corpse. However, the swift arrival of the Commissioner, local government officials, and security operatives prevented the act.
The commissioner confirmed that the ministry collaborated with groups including Onurube Coalition, Virgin Heart Foundation, Harsco Global Media, and Sisters With a Goal to ensure the woman’s safety. The team also supervised the burial and handed over the suspects involved in the act to security agencies in the state and vowed to enforce law against harmful customs
“When the attention of the ministry was drawn that the family members accused her of killing her husband and wanted the widow to drink the water used in bathing the husband’s corpse and also bathe with the water, efforts were made to stop the obnoxious and harmful traditional practice,” Ugwu said.
She added . “Calm has been restored to the community with an investigation started to fish out those behind the harmful traditional practice long abrogated and prohibited. We gave a stern warning to people to desist from such acts because in Imo state, such will not be condoned,”
