PUNCH
In this report, BIODUN BUSARI investigates the horrifying ordeals faced by women and widows across Nigeria who have been subjected to violence and death over unfounded accusations of witchcraft
On a chilly morning in mid-2023, the normally quiet town of Akampa, Cross River State, turned into a place of horror. Youths gathered in the town square, their eyes fixated on Martina Itagbo, a frail elderly widow.
Her voice trembled as she begged for her life, but her cries fell on deaf ears. The men accused her of being a witch, dragging her across the mud, kicking, slapping, and beating her with sticks. “Witch! Witch!! Witch!!!” they chanted, drowning out her screams of agony.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, older men in the community stood by in silence, arms folded. They had become spectators of brutality, indifferent to Itagbo’s suffering.
When someone shouted, “Bring fuel! Spray her with petrol!,” the onlookers did not flinch. The mob poured petrol on her frail body, setting her ablaze. Her last cries echoed into the distance as she succumbed to a torturous death.
Itagbo’s story, as horrific as it is, is not unique. It is a brutal reminder of the suffering many women and widows endure in rural Nigerian communities. Accusations of witchcraft, rooted in fear, ignorance, and superstition, continue to lead to the torture and death of countless innocent women—victims of a society that fails to protect them.
Widows in misery
Martina Itagbo’s tragic end is just one of many horrific tales emerging from southern Nigerian communities, where elderly widows are accused of witchcraft and violently persecuted.
These women, who have already suffered the loss of their husbands—whether to illness, accidents, robbery, or other causes—are further punished by the very communities that should be protecting them.
Widowhood is often a curse in these parts of the country. Rather than receiving the support they need during their time of grief, many widows are blamed for their husbands’ deaths and accused of witchcraft.
Their mental and emotional health deteriorates under the weight of such accusations, and they are often ostracised, abused, or killed by their kin. Tragically, some die from the abuse, while others live the rest of their lives under a cloud of stigma and shame.
The trauma these women experience is compounded by the loss of their economic stability. With their husbands gone, many widows are left without financial support, plunging them deeper into poverty. This economic vulnerability makes them even more susceptible to accusations of witchcraft, as superstitious communities often see poverty as a sign of spiritual affliction.
Witchcraft allegations on mental health
One of the key factors that lead to accusations of witchcraft is the psychological trauma widows experience after losing their husbands. Grief, isolation, and a lack of mental health support often leave these women emotionally scarred, and their behaviour may change as a result. In communities where mental health issues are poorly understood, this behaviour is often interpreted as evidence of witchcraft.
A former president of the Nigerian Medical Association in Ogun State, Dr Azim Ashimi, explained that cognitive decline is common among older women, particularly after the loss of a spouse.
“Their brains are already degenerating, and forgetfulness has set in. Women experience grief after their husbands’ deaths, especially those who have lived together for a long time with their partners, whom they depend on as a major source of happiness.
“That grief, when not well managed, especially for women who don’t have enough family support, metamorphoses into depression. And this especially happens to the women who are in their old age,” Ashimi said.
The cultural stigma attached to mental illness in Nigeria exacerbates the situation. Widows who exhibit signs of depression or dementia are often labeled as witches by their communities. The lack of mental health care in rural areas means that these women are rarely diagnosed or treated for their conditions, allowing superstition to fill the void.
This dangerous combination of grief, mental illness, and superstition fuels the violence against widows accused of witchcraft. In many cases, these accusations are driven by ignorance and fear, as communities struggle to make sense of behaviours they do not understand.
Plights of a widow
It is particularly tragic that many of the women accused of witchcraft are widows whose husbands died at a young age. In some cases, where the husbands are poisoned by people including close associates, the widows are blamed for their deaths. This often happens when the husband is the breadwinner, leaving the widow vulnerable to suspicion and jealousy from members of the community.
