The Federal Government should create a “special ministry” or agency to care for the needs of widows in Nigeria, a retired Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Grace Eisape, advised on Saturday, 31 August, 2024.
She also told state governments to pay stipends to widows, while efforts should be made to give women access to lawyers that can advocate for them against unreasonable cultural practices.
One of the practices include forcing women to drink the water used to clean the corpses of their husbands to prove their innocence in their deaths.
Eisape, Visioner of Feeding All Nations Through Jesus Christ, made the recommendations during a one-day prayer walk in the Chika community along the Abuja Airport Road, Abuja and empowerment of over 200 widows.
The programme aims to address the rising hunger crisis in Nigeria and the tell the public about the marginalization of widows.
The event, which also took place in several African nations, South America, and the United States has as its theme “Jesus Christ: Liberating the Vulnerable Globally.”
The retired Judge, a product of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, said she she was led by the Holy Spirit to the ministry.
Justice Eisape, currently an Educator in the United States of America, is also the President of Deborah Generation: The Fire Place, a prayer group in New Jersey. USA.
She said, “Widows are marginalized, they are not well taken care of, their needs are not met adequately, they hardly receive help from family members
“It is therefore important that the Federal Government create a special ministry or even an agency to care for the needs of widows
“We targeted hundreds of widows all over the world. This prayer walk is currently going on in Africa nations, South America and in United States of America I advise the state governments to pay stipend to widows, it will go a long way to relive their suffering
“We educate women on their rights. For example today, we have legal practitioners in all the locations where this program is holding today to educate women on their rights.
“The government should make provision, give women access to lawyers that can advocate for them against unreasonable cultural practices.”
During the event, Pastor Emmanuel Temitope Williams, the International Coordinator of the organisation, addressed the widows in the Chika community, urging them to remain resilient.
He said, “This programme is designed to continuously meet your needs—whether it’s hunger, medical care, or legal rights,” he reassured them.”
Another Coordinator, Ms Mabel Onyia said over 500 widows have benefited from the Feeding All Nations Through Jesus Christ initiative in the FCT.
She said the Prayer Walk Rally was going on in Thirteen states across the country to educate widows on their rights and also provide for their needs.
A legal practitioner Salamatu Yusuf also spoke to the widows, assuring them of their legal protections under Nigerian law.
“There are laws in place to prevent the marginalization of widows, and we are here to ensure those rights are upheld,” Yusuf stated.
The event concluded with the distribution of both cooked meals and raw food items to the widows.
Many of the women left the event with renewed hope, expressing gratitude and requesting that similar initiatives be held regularly.
