Ortom Gives Widows Parting Gift; Initiates Bill To Protect Them

By Akinwale Kasali

With less than 38 days to the expiration of his tenure as the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has initiated a Bill to establish the Benue State Widows Commission and to prohibit harmful practices against widows, as well as protect them from exploitative acts and punish offenders.

This is seen as a parting gift from the Governor to the Widows in the State.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Terver Akase in Makurdi, the State Capital, stated that 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 on widows upon the death of their husbands.

“These include, but are 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 etc.

“Benue State 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 relatives of the deceased. In some instances, some are denied their fundamental rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

“It is in 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.

It further stated that “Furthermore, 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.

“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; support international efforts and advocacy to uphold and expand. The rights of widows as enshrined in the international laws and conventions; evaluate the impact of the Commission on the plight of widows and make appropriate recommendations to the Benue State Government.

“There are also provisions in the Bill which annul repugnant cultural practices, create offences and prescribe punishments for infringement. Among the several sanctions stipulated by the Bill is that someone who subjects a widow to any harmful widowhood practice commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment or a heavy fine as contained in the law. The proposed law similarly provides for compensation to the affected widow or widows, among other measures.”

The statement added that “if the bill is passed by the State House of Assembly, the law would bring to an end one of the age-long negative practices among the people and become a point of reference and emulation in other parts of the country.”

Why Governor Ortom waited for eight years, almost, for this Bill is what is hard to understand.