DEPRIVATION OF WIDOWS INHERITANCE RIGHT BY THEIR HUSBANDS RELATIVES: A SURVEY OF ITS IMPACT

ABSTRACT: The major purpose of the study was to identify the impact of deprivation of widow inheritance right by their husband’s relatives in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. The study employed the survey research design to elicit information on the impact of deprivation of widows inheritance right. The population of the study consisted of 743 widows from the five major town in Nsukka communities namely: Obukpa, Ovoko, Nsukka, Alor-uno, and Okwutu. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection, and it contain 21 items grouped into four sections, according to the research questions. The research questions were formulated and analysed using mean distribution. The questionnaire was validated by our HOD being our supervisor from the Department of Home Education. The principal findings of this study were, widows are considered as strangers in their husbands’ family ie. Discrimination against widows. It causes psychological trauma on the widow in Nsukka communities of Enugu State. It was recommended that Enugu State government should change certain cultural practices that maltreat widows hitherto. They should also organize seminars, conferences, workshop and refresh courses on women education for policy makers and implementation.