A tragic story recently emerged from an Igbo community: a widow was forced to drink the water used to wash her late husband’s corpse — a cruel “test” to prove her innocence in his death. It’s an act so degrading, so deeply inhumane, that it demands collective outrage and reflection.

Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Across parts of Igboland, women — especially widows and unmarried women — are still subjected to ancient customs that strip them of dignity, rights, and even humanity.

Disrespect for Unmarried Women

In many Igbo communities, an unmarried woman past a certain age is often treated as “incomplete” — denied respect, inheritance, or voice in family or village matters. Her worth is tied to whether a man has claimed her. This thinking is not only cruel but outdated. A woman’s dignity is not defined by her marital status. To demean unmarried women is to insult the very mothers, sisters, and daughters who sustain every community.

The Oppression of Widows

When a man dies, his wife becomes the first suspect. Instead of compassion, she faces interrogation, humiliation, and even violence. Most times, they use their follow women to perpetuate their evil culture in the name of ‘Umu ada’. Some are forced to swear oaths, shave their heads, sleep with the dead husband or live in isolation. The cruelty reaches its peak when widows are compelled to perform unthinkable rituals — like drinking corpse water — to “prove innocence.”

Yet when a woman dies, there are no such rituals for men. No one accuses husbands of witchcraft or poison. No one forces them to prove purity. The double standard is glaring — and shameful.

Men, This Culture Will Come for You Too

Many men defend or ignore these practices, forgetting one truth: when you die, the same culture you promote will turn on your wife and children.
If you love your family, you cannot support a system that will torment them in your absence. When widows are degraded, your own legacy is stained. Your silence today will become your family’s suffering tomorrow.

Change Is Not Rebellion — It’s Redemption

Igbo culture, like all human cultures, is not static. It has evolved before and can evolve again. The Igbo are known for intelligence, innovation, and adaptability — traits that should be used to end inhumane customs, not preserve them. True tradition should uplift, not destroy.

It’s time for men, elders, and leaders to rise and protect women — not in words, but in action.
No more widow humiliation.
No more disrespect to unmarried women.
No more silence in the face of evil disguised as tradition.

A culture that fears women’s strength will never progress. People who abuse their women are condemning their own future. If the Igbo nation wants to stand tall in dignity and unity, it must cleanse itself — not with ritual water, but with justice, compassion, and truth.

present two widow are going thru same in imo and anambra state

Igbos, stop the anti-women culture now!