Widow’s right is an issue which warrants attention and reflection. Women in the Cameroonian society and Africa as a whole, go through devastating conditions and circumstances. Dehumanizing practices imposed on them by various cultures and traditions as a proof of their innocence for allegedly causing their husbands death through witchcraft. These obnoxious practices ranges from; forced marriage to the deceased husband’s brother, seizure of properties and expelling the widow out of the house, rendering them homeless and financially vulnerable, drinking of remains of bath water used to wash the husband’s corpse. These inhumane practices hampers the psychology, mental and physical health of widows. These harmful practices has left most widows in traumatic situations causing them to wallow in the ocean of pains, depression and stigma. Observing this, there’s a dichotomy [difference] on how widows and widowers are treated in the society. Women are considered in the society as ‘capital bearing objects’, who are very much vulnerable to the whims and caprices of crazy cultures and traditions of the society.
We live in a patriarchal society where by men have an upper hand and dominate the women. The men are considered superior as opposed to the women who are considered inferior. As such this causes a clash between both genders.
Men [widowers] in this said society are not treated as such. They are not subjected to all these harsh treatment. In the course of a woman’s death, her husband doesn’t go through all these rites to proof that they aren’t responsible for their wife’s death. Rites like sitting on the chair or floor all day-long. In some cultures it is prohibited for widows to shake hands with others. Widows are imposed with long mourning periods and a particular dress code. This is completely contrary to widowers. Widowers rites can include; ceremonies, prayers and gatherings that are meant to honor the deceased spouse. Widowers can determine their mourning period [weeks or months]. But with case the case of the widows, these rites are imposed on them. In some Cameroonian cultures, some men can still re-marry immediately after the death of a spouse, and no one dares question their decisions. Whereas women are not allowed to marry if they do not complete their widowhood rites. In some cultures, widows are not given the permission to marry again. They have to stay like single, or they are given the option of marrying a deceased husband’s brother or remain single. This is very glaring in the society. These imbalances come with a lot of disparity and gender inequality and equally raises brows as women are not comfortable with these unbearable practices. Widows are advocating for a change. Men and women should be given equal treatment. Already existing laws should reinforce to remedy the situation of widows and bring to a halt these maltreatment perpetrated on widows. There should be balance in the society .
