Repugnant traditions

Yesterday, i read online how a widow was accused of being a witch by her in-laws and was brought into the market square, with her hands bound behind her back and flogged.

Today, two widows were accused of being witches and flogged to death.

There are so many crazy and repugnant customs and traditions in practice till now.

How do you bath the dead body of a widow's husband and ask her to drink the water used to prove she's innocent?

Or ask a widow to cut her hair and remain in seclusion for months after her husband's death.

How about those who claim the man's properties, leaving the widow with nothing.

How does one explain the custom of 'Osu'?

And those who practically hurt it's people?

Customs that do nothing to everyone under it. Customs that deny families what's due them. Customs that promote violence, hardship and pain. Customs that degrade.

Indeed our culture and custom is one beauty that binds, it's a means of celebrating who we are, our history, what makes us thick but that in no way means that we continue in practices that are bad and hurt us.

We can do better as a people and the change we demand to see, must begin with you and i.