HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF WIDOW INHERITANCE PRACTICES AMONG THE OSHMILI NORTH OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The culture of inheriting a widow has been practiced across societies to provide widows social security as well as social support. There is however people who see the practice as a form of denial of right which dehumanizes and dispossesses widows of their properties. The research explored the pre-modern psychological and socio-economic functions of widow inheritance practices at Oshimili North area of Delta state. It analyzed the contradictions of modernity and the contemporary dimensions of widow inheritance. Patriarchy and symbolic interaction theory were adopted for explanations. Data were gathered using both quantitative and quantitative methods (Questionnaire, IDI and FGD). A sample of 220 respondents including widowed and none widowed were randomly selected across 10 communities in the study area. Descriptive and correlation analysis was used to analyze data. Total of 32.7% and 18.6% disagreed/strongly disagreed that the practice do not provide psychological and socio economic protection to the widow and children as claimed. 49.6% and 24.1% agreed/strongly agreed that modern discoveries on health discouraged widow inheritance (x2 .044 ≤.05). 48.2% and 31.8% respondents agreed/strongly agreed that there is the probability of contracting health problems in the process of inheriting a widow. Hence, 69.1% and 25.9% prefers the modern day practices that frown at widow inheritance. Conclusively, respondents faulted genuine-sustained benefits of widowhood practice in modern times in the study area.