Grace Eisape, a retired judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has urged the Federal Government to create a particular ministry or agency to cater to the needs of widows in the country.
She also asked state governments to pay stipends to widows while efforts should be made to give women access to lawyers who can defend them against unreasonable cultural practices.
The former jurist identified one of the practices to include forcing women to drink the water used to clean the corpses of their husbands to prove their innocence in their deaths.
Eisape, Visioner of Feeding All Nations Through Jesus Christ, stated these during a one-day prayer walk in the Chika community along Abuja Airport Road, Abuja, during which she also empowered over 200 widows.
The programme aimed to address the rising hunger crisis in Nigeria and tell the public about the marginalisation of widows.
The event, which also occurred in several African nations, South America, and the United States, has the theme “Jesus Christ: Liberating the Vulnerable Globally.”
Eisape, an Educator in the United States of America and the President of Deborah Generation: The Fire Place, a prayer group in New Jersey, USA, said the Holy Spirit led her to the ministry.
She said: “Widows are marginalised, they are not well taken care of, their needs are not met adequately, they hardly receive help from family members.
“It is therefore essential that the Federal Government create a particular ministry or even an agency to care for the needs of widows.
“We targeted hundreds of widows all over the world. This prayer walk is currently happening in African nations, South America and the United States of America. I advise the state governments to pay stipends to widows; it will go a long way to relieve their suffering.
“We educate women on their rights. For example, we have legal practitioners in all the locations where this program is held today to inform women of their rights.
“The government should make provisions and give women access to lawyers who can advocate for them against unreasonable cultural practices.”
At the event, Pastor Emmanuel Temitope Williams, the organisation’s International Coordinator, addressed the Chika community widows, urging them to remain resilient.
He reassured them, “This program is designed to continuously meet your needs—whether it’s hunger, medical care, or legal rights.”
Another Coordinator, Ms Mabel Onyia, said over 500 widows have benefited from the FCT’s Feeding All Nations Through Jesus Christ initiative.
She said the Prayer Walk Rally was being held in thirteen states nationwide to educate widows on their rights and provide for their needs.
A legal practitioner, Salamatu Yusuf, also spoke to the widows, assuring them of their legal protections under Nigerian law.
“There are laws in place to prevent the marginalisation of widows, and we are here to ensure those rights are upheld,” Yusuf stated.
The event concluded with the distribution of cooked meals and raw food items to the widows. At the same time, many of the women left with renewed hope, expressed gratitude, and requested that similar initiatives be held regularly.
