The article widowhood in African Society and it’s effects on woman’s health is focused on the practices that are oppressive and humiliating to women as a result of the death of the husband. Woman in African society are meant to suffer stressful situation when the husband dies, this stressful situation makes African women to suffer a lot of emotional physical, mental and spiritual problems. Health involves ability to function physically emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially in an environment African widows do not enjoy the best of health due to pressure of conforming to widowhood practice. A lot of sanctions placed on widow by the society make it difficult for women to express their view point in widowhood.

Some of the practices widows are meant to pass through on the loose of the husband are, shaving of hair on the head, drinking of remains of bath water used to wash the husbands corpses, mourn her husband death for about three to twelve month depending on the ethnic group, right of inheritance, women do not have right to inherit land or property, widow are not allowed to bathe, clean her surrounding during mourning period, on rare cases once bath a day.

The following recommendations were suggested African Communities must nourish, not starve widows and their children, the right of inheritance should be geared to the widow and her children, join forces from every sphere of the society to eradicate to the harmful practices on widows through re-education campaign for women.

Asst. Prof. Lucky Ogbigbi Eboh and Dr. Thomas E Boye
Department of Physical & Health Education
Delta state University
Delta state, Nigeria