By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
The Imo state government has condemned the attempted reintroduction of a dehumanising widowhood ritual in Awo-Omamma, Oru East Local Government Area of the state, where a widow was reportedly forced to drink water used to bathe her late husband’s corpse.
Gov. Hope Uzodimma, through the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Vulnerable Groups, Mrs Nkechi Ugwu, described the act as “barbaric, cruel, and completely unacceptable in a civilized society.”
He has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident and vowed that all perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law.
Preliminary findings reveal that Mrs Chika Ndubuisi, widow of the late Mr Odinakachi Ndubuisi, was accused by her in-laws of causing her husband’s death and was locked in an ambulance alongside the corpse.
The family allegedly tried to compel her to drink the “corpse water” to prove her innocence.
Swift intervention by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, in collaboration with the Oru East Local Government Chairman and security operatives, prevented the act.
The rescue followed alerts from several women’s advocacy groups, including the Onurube Coalition, Virgin Heart Foundation, and Harsco Global Media.
Ugwu confirmed that the widow and her children were immediately taken into protective custody while suspects were arrested.
She added that normalcy has since been restored in the community and investigations are ongoing to ensure justice is served.
Uzodimma reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for dehumanising cultural practices, emphasizing that such acts violate the laws and moral values of Imo State.
Meanwhile, Mrs Ndubuisi and her children remain under government protection for their safety and well-being.
