#IStandWithher/ My widow mom & others

My dad died at the age of 53 leaving behind widows as he was a polygamist.

As per his family his widows and children where not his next of kin but his senior brother who had to take over the administration of his estate. This man acquired letters of administration with fake documents and the battle of administration began. He sold landed property without the consent of the beneficiaries

Mom the first wife was the person to destroy since she is not from the same village so they had to stigmatize her by making stories how she killed her husband. I love her for her small size but doing her things as she ought to without considering what people say.

Standing by at my early 20s I was also finger pointed as being due for marriage so i should stop looking at my  heritage since i was considered property to hand over to a man.

Some of my dad's relatives decided that my moms are betrothed traditionally to my dad's brother. Is this tradition not repugnant to natural justice and good conscience? 

Widows are victims of GBV since they do not consent to anything that is decided by their late husband's family. This is a typical tradition in the grass field and other parts of Cameroon.

Widows  are objectified as they have no say and cannot chose the direction for their existence.

I stood up to say it was not happening and was ushered to shut up and listen to men talk and take decisions on our behalf.

My brother was helpless as he was also stigmatized by their stories, what can a young man who never grew up in that village say when they threaten him with all sort of curses to befall him. Thanks God he had me who could go the extra mile without fear of being cursed or "Country Fashion go catch you" Like i cared

My journey to standing up against injustice took a different turn, I became recalcitrant and decided to stand up against the injustices against widows. They have the right to redesign their lives and make choices that they think is 

I stand with my widows against all odds.

Make the choice you want, assert yourself and live with the loss of your husband and fall in love again if you feel you need a companion.

Women need to define themselves and not let society give them a definition of them.

# I STAND WITH HER