The Idoma Area Traditional Council, IATC has made some adjustments in traditional practices in the Idoma land.
The traditional council, after a wide consultation with stakeholders, political leaders, and other individuals, put an end to some traditional practices including costly burial rites.
This also includes the old practice that deprives the children of the deceased and widows from inheriting properties of their late fathers, husbands.
According to IATC, such act is prohibited, adding that, if a deceased husband, father is survived by wife(s) and children, such children and wife(s) shall have the right of first consideration, in the apportioning of the inheritance, in the absence of a Written Will.
The new law also forbids the burial of deceased wife in her father’s community, except in special circumstances where the Wife during her lifetime, was married to and had children for more than one man; in which case, the wife may be buried in her father’s place to allow other husbands and children to partake in the burial rites.
It further urged and directed communities to designate land for the cemetery before December 31 2023.
The IATC also has made some adjustments on bride price and traditional marriage rites.
From now forward, bride price and traditional marriage rites is unified and fixed to N50,000 in the land.
The Idoma Area Traditional Council described the old practices as self-imposed, barbaric, and harsh.
According to the Traditional Council, imposition of costly prescriptions, stipulations, and requirements on the bereaved family for the burial rites of a deceased person is prohibited in Idoma land.
According to the council, burial rites in the land should be conducted affordably, depending on the capacity of the bereaved family, stressing that burials should be concluded within two to three weeks from the date of death.