Concerns As Scarcity Of Husbands Looms In South East

The South East region, particularly Anambra State, faces a looming crisis as restiveness and violence continue to plague the area. These ongoing disturbances not only threaten the safety and stability of the region but also have profound implications for the social fabric, particularly in terms of marriage dynamics.

As the atmosphere remains tense and uncertain, the prospect of finding suitable spouses becomes increasingly challenging for women in the South East. The pervasive unrest and violence create an environment where potential husbands may be reluctant to settle down or may even become casualties of the conflict, further exacerbating the scarcity of eligible partners.

This scarcity of husbands not only impacts individual women but also has broader societal implications, potentially leading to demographic imbalances and social unrest.

As such, addressing the underlying causes of the unrest in the South East becomes imperative not only for restoring peace and security but also for addressing the looming scarcity of husbands and ensuring the well-being of the region’s population.

The declaration was made in the report of the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), the Executive Summary of which was made available in Awka, the state capital, yesterday.

The report highlighted that the prevailing restiveness and violence had led to a structural issue concerning demographic sustainability, as women encountered challenges in locating suitable partners for marriage.

As per the report, women stand as among the hardest-hit victims, enduring and potentially facing continued suffering from fatalities, sexual assault, the bereavement of husbands and sons, and the deprivation of livelihoods.

It noted also that thousands of young people had been killed since 1999 when restiveness became pronounced in the region, just as many had fled the rural areas.

“The killings from the ongoing violence in Igboland generally and in Anambra in particular due to violent crimes and claims of agitation have once again disproportionately affected the stock of young males in the region.

“It has reduced the likelihood that women will be able to find suitable mating or marriageable partners while also increasing the likelihood that females will end up unmarried and reproductively unfulfilled.

“It will further swell the number of unmarried women in the region, particularly among those who reside in the homeland and have limited interaction outside the boundaries of home.

“These women could remain unmarried or wait out their productive years in search of a suitor who has likely been killed.

“They may feel intimidated about giving birth to a child outside marriage for fear of being labeled wayward and humiliating their families for birthing children into illegitimacy,” it declared.

The report recalled the case of Amaka Igwe, the lawyer who was killed in Onitsha alongside her husband.

It also recalled the killing of Harira Jubril near Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area on May 25, 2022 alongside her four daughters.

It stated that the killings had resulted into destitution or dependencies among men and had led to economic impoverishment for many women, mass widowhood and enforced childlessness.