Scarcity of Husbands Looms in Southeast, Commission Warns.
The Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC) has issued a warning about an impending scarcity of husbands in the Southeast region, particularly in Anambra State. The report, presented in an executive summary to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital, attributed this potential scarcity to the rising issues of insecurity and killings in the region.
The ATJPC report highlighted that the prevailing restiveness and violence pose a significant demographic challenge, making it challenging for women to find suitable life partners. It emphasized that women are among the worst-hit victims, experiencing hardships such as killings, rape, loss of husbands and sons, and a denial of livelihoods.
The report pointed out that the ongoing violence in Igboland, especially in Anambra, has disproportionately affected the population of young males since 1999. This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of women finding suitable mates, potentially leading to a surge in unmarried and reproductively unfulfilled females.
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The report stated, “It will further swell the number of unmarried women in the region, particularly among those who reside in the homeland and have limited interaction outside the boundaries of home.”
Referring to specific cases, such as the tragic death of lawyer Amaka Igwe in Onitsha alongside her husband and the killing of Harira Jubril and her four daughters near Umunze, the report underlined the dire consequences of these events, resulting in destitution, economic impoverishment, mass widowhood, and enforced childlessness.
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In rural communities, the prevalence of polygamy was noted, with women’s access to land linked to their relationships with men. The killings have disrupted healthcare facilities and access to reproductive healthcare in rural areas, affecting the physical and mental health of women.
The report highlighted the unique challenge of diminishing boy-child school enrollment and retention in Anambra, disrupting progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Young boys abandoning education due to fear of violence or abduction has undermined the goals set by the United Nations for peace and prosperity by 2030.
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The ATJPC, comprising 14 members, was inaugurated in June 2022 to investigate insecurity in Anambra and the Southeast. It submitted its final report to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, with Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer and former Chairman of Nigeria Human Rights Commission, serving as its chairman.
