Misogynist Tendency: A Case of the Widowhood Practices in Igbo Land

Abstract

Every culture in Igbo land has a way of viewing the issue of widowhood. Some culture place widowhood to an extreme of dehumanization while those who have undergone social and moral civilization treat the case of widowhood in a moderate manner. Widowhood has become a contemporary and sensitive global issue of discourse because of the ugly practice associated with it. Widowhood is a social issue which one can’t sidestep. It befalls a man or a woman but it is generally used in reference to females.  In some extremist communities, concerted efforts have been made by scholars to counsel the custodians of culture to discard and abolish all the obnoxious cultural practices that enslave the women especially the humiliation and dehumanization being meted on the womenfolk at the death of their husbands under the pretext of culture. The researcher was able to use a rich secondary method with relevant books, journals, dictionaries, commentaries, lexicons, online materials to develop this work. The researcher therefore recommends that any culture that does not promote equality and social justice is not acceptable. The researcher advices that women should be given equal footing with their male counterparts in the aspect of widowhood.  The researcher was able to find out that if all will come to their senses and see the selfish interest of misogynists in the cultural widowhood practices being meted on the womenfolk, this heinous practices will be eradicated. The researcher concludes that efforts should be made by the custodian of our culture to discard and abolish all these obnoxious cultural practices that have enslaved our mothers in Igbo land.