|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Summary
Widow oppression in Nigeria has evolved from physical torment to digital persecution, where widows are vilified online, accused of murder or infidelity, and forced to defend their children's paternity, while NFM works to challenge these harmful societal biases.
We often boast about our progress from the dark days when widows were forced to drink their deceased husband’s corpse wash water to prove their innocence. Yet, have we truly evolved, or have we merely digitalised our cruelty?
In today’s Nigeria, the persecution of widows hasn’t ended—it’s simply taken a new form. Instead of physical torture, we’ve embraced digital violence. Social media has become the new village square where widows face trial by public opinion. They’re branded as murderers, accused of infidelity, and forced to defend their children’s paternity, all while processing the devastating loss of their life partners.
The stark contrast between society’s treatment of widows versus widowers reveals our persistent bias. While widowers are encouraged to move forward and even remarry quickly for their children’s sake, widows face scrutiny for every action. Smile too soon? She must be guilty. Grieve too long? She’s performing for sympathy. There’s no winning move in this cruel game of societal expectations.
Society has created only three categories for widows: suspects in their husband’s death, unfaithful wives who deserved their loss, or women who should have died instead. This toxic perspective reveals how little we’ve progressed from our ancestors’ brutal traditions.
The physical torture may have ended, but the psychological warfare continues. The calabash of corpse water has been replaced by keyboards and screens, yet the intent remains the same – to punish women for outliving their husbands.
At Naija Feminists Media, we’re committed to challenging these persistent forms of widow persecution. Our community provides support, education, and advocacy for women facing digital harassment while working to dismantle these harmful cultural practices.
