A’Ibom communities end harmful widowhood practices, adopt GBV prevention charters

Etim Ekpimah

Two major communities in Akwa Ibom State, Ika and Uyo, have formally abolished harmful widowhood practices and adopted community-led frameworks to prevent gender-based violence (GBV), setting powerful precedents for justice, dignity, and human rights.

On September 17, 2025, the Ika Traditional Rulers Council, under the leadership of His Royal Majesty Edidem Joseph Okosi Ekot, Paramount Ruler of Ika, signed the Ika Community Covenant on GBV Prevention, which abolishes dehumanising widowhood rites, including forced hair shaving and libation rituals.

The process, launched with a public declaration and followed by three days of community engagement, was the result of collaboration among traditional leaders, women and youth groups, elders, and civil society partners.

“This is a new dawn for Ika,” declared a representative of HRM Edidem Okosi Ekot. “Our culture is not meant to destroy, but to preserve and protect. From this day, no widow in Ika shall suffer indignity in the name of tradition.”

The emotional turning point came when a community member recounted how his mother endured forced head shaving after his father’s death — a trauma that scarred the family for life. With the Covenant, Ika has vowed never to subject another woman to such indignities.

Similarly, in Uyo, the state capital, the Uyo Traditional Rulers Council led by His Royal Majesty Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, JP, Paramount Ruler of Uyo, officially adopted the Uyo Charter on Ending GBV on September 15–16, 2025, after months of public declarations and community consultations.

“This is a defining moment for Uyo,” HRM Okon affirmed. “Our culture should heal, not harm. We stand united to ensure that every man, woman, and child in Uyo lives free from violence and discrimination.”

The charters in both Ika and Uyo were developed with technical support from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, UN Women, and the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), with funding support from the Ford Foundation.

Ibrahim Nurudeen, Programme Specialist at UN Women, praised the milestones: “The courage shown by Ika and Uyo to abandon harmful widowhood practices is a powerful example of how culture can be transformed into a force for justice. These charters prove that when communities take ownership, real and lasting change is possible.”

Also speaking, Nkechi Udoh, Director of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Women Affairs, stated: “Today, Ika and Uyo have restored the dignity of widows and given future generations of women hope. This is the kind of leadership that drives progress and inspires other communities to act.”

With these landmark Covenants, Ika and Uyo have joined forces to demonstrate that cultural traditions can evolve, not to dehumanise, but to protect, heal, and uplift. Their bold steps are now seen as models for other Nigerian communities to emulate in the collective fight against gender-based violence.