AWKA/Nigeria: In a heart-wrenching plea, 37-year-old widow Mrs. Chinenye Okonkwo has called on the Anambra State Government and human rights organizations to intervene in a property dispute with her late husband’s siblings, who she alleges forcibly encroached upon her land and sent her and her five children into exile.
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Mrs. Okonkwo detailed the distressing events that unfolded after her husband’s death in 2017. According to her, the siblings, identified as Boniface and CY Okonkwo, not only invaded their land but also took the blocks intended for the construction of a four-bedroom apartment.
“My late husband, Linus Okonkwo, showed me the boundary of his land before his death. He molded blocks for a four-bedroom apartment,” she recounted. “But his siblings are troublemakers. They sent me away, asking me to remarry, and threatened to consider my children only when they are grown. I’m struggling to pay both house rent and children’s school fees.”
Despite efforts by the Umuodilogu village kindred and the widows’ organization affiliated with the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation to mediate, Mrs. Okonkwo claims that a resolution has been elusive.
Mrs. Ogechi Izuka, the leader of the widows’ organization, disclosed that the matter was reported to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Awka, and the alleged culprits have been served legal papers. However, she emphasized the limitations of their NGO in interfering with family affairs, stating, “There is a limit we can go. We can only resort to protest or demonstration if the matter is life-threatening.”
Calling for the intervention of both the government and the public, Mrs. Izuka expressed the urgency of the situation and the need for a deterrent against similar actions targeting widows.
In response to the widow’s plight, Mr. Francis Okafor, Chairman of the Umuodilogu kindred, condemned the actions of the widow’s brother-in-law, Boniface, and his team. Okafor revealed that attempts to resolve the matter amicably within the family escalated when violence erupted, prompting police involvement. Boniface and his brother were subsequently arrested for their alleged involvement in the dispute.
Confirming the arrest, Police spokesman DSP Tochukwu Ikenga stated that the investigation was nearing completion and assured that the suspects would be arraigned in due course. The unfolding case underscores the need for swift and just resolution to protect the rights of widows facing familial property disputes.
