A 34-year-old widow, Mrs Chioma Asomugha from Ubahuekem in Ihiala area of Anambra, has raised alarm that her in-laws were forcing her to drink water used in bathing her late husband’s corpse. Chioma, the widow, confirmed the report in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Awka.
She alleged that the brothers of her late husband, Charles, said she must drink the water to prove that she was not responsible for her husband’s death, but that she would not do that.
Chioma said that she and her late husband lived peacefully in Ojo area of Lagos before his death.
“I have four children with my late husband and we lived at Ajangbadi, Ojo area of Lagos before his demise. The burial is fixed for Monday June 14, but since we came home for the burial, the relatives of my husband forced me out of my matrimonial home. They insisted that before I will be allowed to come in that I will drink the water used in bathing my late husband’s corpse,” she claimed.
Chioma said she took the matter to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Awka as well as her Oraifite people with a view to resolving the matter. Mrs Laura Ugwuanyi, Coordinator of NHRC in Anambra, confirmed the report, describing it as obnoxious. She said efforts made to handle the matter did not yield positive results as the family members were not cooperating. Chief Gerald Nnabugwu, a community leader in the area, told NAN that the leadership of the community was looking into the matter.
Mr C-Don Adinuba, state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment also promised to intervene in the matter. When contacted, Mr. Okey Chukwu, President General of Ubahuekem community said he was in a meeting and promised to call back, but as at the time of this report, his phone was switched off.
