Awka
Anambra State Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Hon Ify Obinabo has rescued a widow Mrs Patricia Eligbue from her relatives, who forced her to drink water used in bathing the corpse of her husband’s nephew.
The incident was said to have in Atani community in Ogbaru Council Area of Anambra State.
Mrs Eligbue who lost her husband a long time ago, hails from Obe Agwa.
Narrating her ordeal, Mrs Eligbue said since her husband’s death, she has been subjected to all kinds of abuse ranging from her husband’s family calling her a witch, to other kinds of physical abuse.
According to her, one day the husband’s siblings barged in on her and her only child and started beating her, alleging that she was responsible for all the unfortunate things happening to them.
She said that it was after the incident that her relatives ran to her aid and while she was about to go with them, her husband’s family refused, stating that she needs stay till after a burial ceremony of the husband’s nephew who died.
The poor widow explained that on the day of the burial, she was summoned inside the room where they kept the dead body by some members of the family who she identified as Mr Albert, Godwin, Ozoemina and Onyeàmà.
“They placed a cutlass on the deceased body and asked me to walk over it four times, which I did before they washed off the corpse and forced me to drink the water.
“They later poured the remaining on me,” she lamented.
The widow stated that they also accused her of killing the deceased.
According to her, her ordeal started when she refused the husband’s relatives from sleeping with her in her husband’s home, which made them angry with her.
“They said that I am their property and even when I told them that I took an oath not to have any sexual relationship with anyone in my husband’s house, they wouldn’t listen to me.
“They ganged up against me and have been terrorizing me since them.
“I really need the assistance of government to give me justice,” she pleaded.
Following the development, the Commissioner in collaboration with the Police had arrested the culprits and they will be arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate court in Awka on Wednesday.
Reacting to the ugly incident, the Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Obinabo noted that although the alleged culprits have been arrested, she will make sure that the law takes its full course.
She wondered why in the 21st century, people would still be allowing such devilish tendencies to drive them.
“When you see people putting on good clothes, you think they are okay, not knowing that they are devils. Who would have thought that this could still be happening in this age?
“Even with all the laws in the state, they are still ding all these.
“As for the widow, we will take her to the hospital and ensure that she is treated very well against any form of disease that this dangerous practice may have brought into her body,” she assured.
The Commissioner went further to warn everyone to desist from any form of harmful traditional practices against widows in the state as such would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, TNC investigation had revealed that the deceased died after a brief illness at her sister’s house somewhere around Ozubulu.
It was also discovered that the whole allegation against the widow started after the sister who she was staying had a dream of the sister-in-law, where she claimed that she saw Mrs Eligbue strangling the deceased.
Another discovery worthy of note was that one Mr Albert, has refused to share a farm land belonging to him and the late widow’s husband.
Although the deceased cause of death wasn’t ascertained as at the time of writing this report, newsmen gathered that he had a swollen feet and body before his death.
Nevertheless, the alleged perpetuators denied the allegation but have been trying their best to conceal the act until the Women and Social Welfare Commissioner stepped into the case.
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