Here is an update by Maria Ude Nwachi, a member of the Ebonyi state House of Assembly in the case of the 70-year-old widow, Mrs. Maria Okoh, who was paraded and banished after she was caught having s*x with a 30-year-old man in Amauzu Nkpoghoro village in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Read below…
“Parading of people unacceptable – Essa Ehugbo.
The member representing Afikpo North East in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mrs Maria Ude Nwachi (Afikpo Chic), on the 22nd July 2017, complained to Essa Traditional Council of Ehugho, the highest decision making body in Ehugbo (Afikpo), about a 70 year old widow, accused of sleeping with a man in her late husband’s home at Amuzu Nkpogoro, Afikpo, and paraded with the man round the villages; with youths chanting disgraceful songs behind them, thereby creating a scene which attracted condemnation from several quarters, describing such as obnoxious, uncivilized, and other adjectives.
Following the report, the Ekpuke Essa Traditional ruling body on 26 July 2017 at Ulubi Eke Ehugbo deliberated on the matter and stated that the normal thing as Ehugbo tradition demands is that the culprit is liable to atone her misdeed with a goat. The above process, the Essa said is the tradition and not the dehumanising act of parading the culprit. They also advised widows cannot hold themselves, they should re- marry or alternatively pack out from their late husband house.
THE VERDICT IS: No community should parade anyone again and if they ever do, they would be fined N100,000 and another fine of N5000 will be given again to every one in the community who allowed such act. They stated the act of the said community is not acceptable. They frowned at the bad public image the incident gave the town of Afikpo.”
