To change the narrative of widows and how they are poorly been treated by the society, Widows from various tribe and religion converged in Abuja to take stoke and share their bitter experience and access the way forward.
The gathering which was organized by Widows Hub Africa Initiative, a Non- Governmental Organization gave platform for widows to get to know each other ,share their experience and find a solution on the way forward.
In an opening remark, the Executive Director of Widows Hub ,Mrs Mercy Joe-Blankson said that Widowhood is not an option to make a woman become a beggar.
Mercy, while addressing the participants said she knows how it feels because she is a widow and having two children to carter for is never an easy task, especially in Africa where the in-laws care less about the wife of their late brother or son.
“it has happen it has happen but life must continue, When I lost my husband Joe-Blankson in a boat mishap while trying to save the fourteen passenger ,the whole nation Nigeria applauded my husband’s sacrifice”.
“My Husband died trying to save 14 persons from drawing and in the process lost his life, many promises where made but never fulfilled and so am left with the reality of life, but that didn’t define me instead it made me strong”.
Mercy also said her NGO will provide a platform for widows to heal and provide opportunity to help widows find their feet again in the society, free legal advice ,accommodation for widows who needs urgent place to lay their head as a result of been unable to meet up with rent and many others.
She also warn that widows must desist from turning their self to men cheaply or friending a married man all for the sake of he meets my financial needs.
While the widows narrated their stories a very touching one was when one Mrs Chira Chigozie ,whose husband died in a motor accident involving the government of Edo States convoy .
The widow said nothing was done to compensate her or the family and since then she has been on her own trying to survive she demands the NGO to help her get justice.
Another widow whose husband was a serving police man before he died also narrated her ordeal and how the Nigerian police show little or no concern at all ,and up until now the police is yet to pay her late husband entitlement.
It was a moment of tears and pains as each of the widows took time to share their bitter experience in the hands of their oppressors.
Speaking with the press after the section ,Mrs Mercy said the primary aim of her NGO is to give voice to widows and see how they can heal from the pains ,she said all the stories will be followed up and justice will be demanded for the widows where necessary .
The NGO is solely funded by the founder ,Widows Hub, Mercy Joe-Blankson.
Mercy is the widow of Joe-Blankson who died in a boat mishap while trying to rescue fourteen passengers on board, he died trying to rescue the number fourteenth passenger.
