#EndSARS!

#EndSARS!

The war against SARS – #EndSARS! – has had its effect. The Nigerian campaign, carried out intensely over nearly 3 weeks, was intended to end the disputes caused by SARS.

It has become infamous for committing “many of the very crimes they were supposed to be guarding against.”

SARS was a leader in their announcement of extra-judicial killings.

The movement against SARS took hold over 2 weeks of solidarity. People from all over the spectrum gained in the move. “Soon musicians like Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy and Davido were using their clout to garner international attention,” one reporter said.

For a couple of days the BBC News and PBS both had pieces on the campaign to #EndSARS, with pictures of the devastation on October 20. On Oct. 22 President Buhari announced the end of SARS, though he didn’t mention the violence that took place near Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, a major intersection.

But will this be the end of SARS? According to Max Siollun the move could put more armed forces on the street! We’ll have to wait and see.

Sam, my younger son, has gone to Kenya, via Ethiopia. He was relaxing on the beach near Mombasa for two days before meeting the others from English-speaking Africans. They are holding talks for 3 days, covering the ground of international connections!

I don’t know what he wants to do there on his way back for three or four days. I assume he’ll have a good time eating the food!

News of Widows in Igbo States

While I was looking for an update on SARS, I found this! The subject is important. It’s the topic I addressed in 2017 in a talk to the SOAS Conference, in London, on Igbo information.

It is a lengthy article on the subject of widows among Igbo people. The widows have not typically been allowed to participate with their brothers in inheriting land from their fathers. But the law is clear. “The Nigeria Constitution 1999 (as amended), in its Chapter4, Section 42, equally protects citizens from any form of discrimination on the basis of place of origin, sex, religion, or political opinion,” the law states.

The end result is that widows, as of 1999, have the right to inherit their father’s land.

“The custom in Ugwaji-Awkunanaw, a community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, forbids a childless widow to inherit her husband’s property,” the local regent said, despite the law.

He announced that Onowu Dennis Okeke-Ani recalled cases where not only was the widow disinherited. She was also forced to give way to her male relatives. He said that in the past he saw uncles or brothers to the widows dispossessing them of the property.

“If the girl decides to stay in her father’s compound and start bearing children, she then has the right to be the owner of the compound. If not, the uncles may claim her father’s property,” the leader Igwe Joel Egwuonwu said. (Igwe is the title of the local leader.)

But that does not seem to have any effect on men’s inheritance! I guess until the law is upheld in every district of Igbo land, it will not have any bearing on Igbo men!

My Surprise Message

I had a surprise message this morning! The person who said she was in charge of finding the person said she’s unable to secure the right man or woman. She sent a message saying, “Unfortunately I have been unable to source a contractor for your desired project. Contractors being fully booked out until next year was the common feedback I received. I apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. I will refund you the deposit and you should [have] it in your bank account within the next 3-4 business days.”

Until I received this message, I didn’t even recall that I had paid a deposit! It was at least two weeks ago! I believe it was $50. So I’ll be happy to have that back.

But no contractors being available until next year?

Mini-Memorial for Clem

We held a mini-memorial for Clem on Saturday at the Unitarian Church in Westport. It was just lovely! Everyone stayed around after for a little while, with plenty of conversations going on!

It was a suitable memorial in this year!