*Wives to be buried in husband’s ancestral homes
*Bride price pegged at N50k
*expensive rites associated with burials abolished
By; ARCHIBONG ESUENE, Makurdi
In a bold move that is receiving accolades, the paramount ruler of Idoma Kingdom Worldwide, the Och’Idoma, HRM Agaba -Idu, Dr Elaigwu Odobo Odogbo Obagaji John CON, has shocked all with pronouncements that have outlawed age long traditions in the land.
Speaking to New Nigerian yesterday, Mr Onuminya Samuel Odoba, Media Aide to the HRM Agaba -Idu, confirmed that the decisions were taken after proper and wider consultations with critical stakeholders including the traditional rulers across the entire Idoma traditional council.
According to the Mr Odoba who doubles as the Palace Chief Scribe, his royal majesty after listening to the lamentations of his subjects on the issues embarked on consultations with critical stakeholders before coming up openly to make the announcement during his address to the people of Idoma land in his New Year broadcast on January,1, 2024.
Part of the declarations includes, “Wives’ dead bodies are to henceforth be buried in their husbands’ ancestral homes throughout Idoma kingdom.
“Wives are to henceforth share in their late husbands’ properties alongside the husbands’ children (male and female) throughout Idoma Kingdom,” the Och’Idoma declared.
According to the paramount ruler, bride price is henceforth benchmarked at N50,000 maximum throughout Idoma kingdom.
He added, “All expensive rites associated with marriages are henceforth prohibited.
“All extensive and expensive rites associated with burials are henceforth prohibited.
“All communities within Idoma Kingdom are to establish community cemetery forthwith to receive dead bodies of community members. No more burying of dead bodies within the living homes,” he declared.
Furthermore, he said that an umbrella body for Idoma socio cultural and economic development known as Opiatoha Gayigene GIdoma has been incorporated in Nigeria to drive the agenda of Idoma cultural, political and economic development.
It would be recalled that for ages before the pronouncements, corpses of wives of Idoma men were returned back to their father’s families, a tradition many frowned at, describing it as archaic.
The development also discouraged several non Idomas from marrying Idoma men.
