A 37-year-old widow, Chinenye Okonkwo, is seeking the intervention by Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo, after she was sent packing from her late husband’s compound by his brother.
The young widow, who hails from Umuodiogu, Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, spoke to journalists at the weekend.
According to her, since her sack from the family compound, she has rented an apartment, a development which has increased her financial burden as she also has school fees and feeding to take care of.
The mother of five said: “My husband died in 2017 at the age of 45. Since then, his brother, Boniface Okonkwo, popularly known as ‘Over Heat’, started encroaching into my late husband’s land. He carried the entire blocks my husband moulded to build his own house.
“When I accosted him about the blocks, he said since I’m not ready to build, he will carry them and mould another set of blocks for me when I’m ready.
“Now, he and his elder brother called Pastor have sent me away, asking me to go and look for someone else to marry me that I’m still young. I’m struggling to pay both house rent and children’s school fees.”
Chinenye added that even though she took the matter to the widows association and community leaders, her brother-in-law has remained adamant.
The Chairman of Umuodiogu kindred, Mr Francis Okafor, who was at the press briefing, condemned the actions of the widow’s brother-in-law. He said the community has waded into the matter, and Mr Boniface Okonkwo has been arrested.
Anambra State Police Command’s spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed that the in-law, Okonkwo, was in their custody. “We’re about to conclude investigation before arraignment will take place,” he said.
