Policy Response to Widowhood Rites among the Awori of Ogun State, Nigeria

This paper examines policy response to widowhood rites among the Awori of Ogun State, south west, Nigeria. The paper argues that widows form a significant proportion of the Awori population, yet, much is not known about their plight nor policy response to the practice of widowhood rites and its associated challenges among the study group. The paper examines the situational analysis of widows and existing widowhood practices. It identifies economic and psychological challenges faced by the widows with a view to suggesting the way forward. The functional theory serves as a guide for the sociological view point in this paper. The study rely on data from both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (In-depth Interviews- IDI’s) sources. It concludes with a critical examination of existing gender policies and response to widowhood rites in the Awori context