Benjamin Ngah
Inhabitants of Ndu Town in Donga Mantung Division are still to come
to terms with the behavior of a man whose names this reporter
got as Tanto James who took away his own life because the wife had joined a club known as “Happy Widows’ Club”.
The circumstances surrounding the horrendous act is still incomprehensible
and doubtful in the minds of many who prior to this action were with
the man who was highly spirited and exchanged pleasantries with everyone
as he sauntered around.
James and wife lived a happy and fulfilled couple`s life with their
children and grand children until his wife`s affiliation to a widow`s
club. James considered this action of the wife as betrayal and
could not understand the fact that he was still alive and his wife was
attending a widows’ meeting. In his own reading, this act was a bad
omen that would push him directly or indirectly into his early grave.
To avert this, he sought for traditional rites to be performed between
them as culture demands. All the claims and allegations James
levied against his wife met with very strong objections. Mrs. Tanto
rather estimated that her husband`s move was satanic and she would never
accept such things. She opted for a divorce rather than to perform the
traditional rite popular known in the area as “Nchvula”. She
demanded to know what makes it weird to associate with widows even if
he James was still alive. She wondered aloud why widows
suffer stigmatization, rejection and insults for the status most of
them did not give an invitation to. She swore that it was only going
to be over her dead body to take an oath or carry out any rituals to
cleanse her from belonging to the Widows Club.
The couple ended up staying apart as no compromise was reached. James
was saddened and helpless seeing the wife going away. Although outwardly,
James did not show any sign of depression but probably was being eaten
up internally by the wife’s decision to show sympathy with the widows
by joining them. His death has raised a lot of dust as to what actually
would have been the cause of his demise as many are not very sure whether
it is the wife’s behavior that has actually pushed him to death.
James lifeless body was discovered home and there was no sign of torture,
poison no suicide making people wonder as to what would have been the
cause of his death.
The creation of a Happy Widows’ Club in the area has been very much
controversial. Many people who are against such a club argue that it
might encourage women to kill the husband in order to inherit their
property and live as happy widows. Others think the club is just a forum
for the poor widows to chat ways of helping themselves and to go about
a normal life after the demise of their husbands.
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