The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Niger State, Bulus Yohanna, has condemned the practice of treating widows as property to be shared among relatives of their deceased husbands.
Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, made the remarks on Monday in Minna during the 2025 International Widows’ Day celebration, organised by the Women Wing of CAN in the state.
He was represented at the event by his deputy, Rev. Joshua Marcus.
According to him, widows are human beings who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, not as assets to be inherited.
“It saddens my heart when I hear of cases where relatives share not only the property of deceased individuals but also their wives.
“Widows are not property to be shared by the relatives of their husbands but human beings who should be treated with dignity, ” he said.
He urged family members of the deceased to desist from actions that further traumatise widows, and instead seek ways to support and uplift them.
The CAN chairman also encouraged widows to embrace self-reliance and focus on raising their children with purpose.
“I urge our widows to be productive, self-reliant and to engage in meaningful businesses if they are not employed. They should focus on the children God has blessed them with,” he added.
Earlier in her address, the State Chairperson of the CAN Women Wing, Mrs Ladi Nuhu, called on widows to remain resilient and intentional about building better lives for themselves and their families.
Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Widows: Building Resilience, Restoring Dignity”, Nuhu advised widows to anchor their hope in God and embrace self-reliance.
“We understand that you need support for your children, but this is the time to stand strong and not give up.
“I appeal to you to draw strength from Isaiah 54:5–6, which reminds us that widows have a special place in the heart of God, “ she said.
