INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Widowhood is often associated with pain, grief and depression, especially for women who are not educated, have no skill or business to fall back on. Upon realisation of this ugly societal trend, more than few non-government organisations have emerged to ensure that these women survive despite their situation. In different parts of Nigeria, the state of widows varies, depending on ethnicity and culture. In some cultures, the moment a man dies, his belongings are taken away from the widow by his relatives, and thereby leaving her with little, or in most cases, nothing to survive on. It is more pathetic when the poor widow has nothing to fall back on; she is left alone, rejected and abandoned to wallow in abject poverty with her children. This ugly situation has forced many widows to resort to various means of survival such as: Prostitution and begging. Most times, many of them find themselves at the mercy of their dead husbands‘ relatives, many of whom may want them as second wives.
In most African cultural settings, women are regarded as second class citizens. This explains why women have little or no say on the issue concerning the family affairs in most African societies. Women in most cultures are deprived of the bride price of their children. In Nigeria today, a good number of young and old women who have lost their spouses find it difficult to cope with life. Death is an inevitable phenomenon that causes a compulsory separation of couples and this is prevalent in every society. Widows, both young and old, are faced with challenges in their daily living by feeling lonely, dejected, isolated and abandoned; thereby leading some of them to become weary and end up.