ABSTRACT
Death has and will always be an uninvited and unexpected guest for many cultures across the globe. It brings with itself grief, sadness, sorrow and most probably unanswered questions coupled with suspicions. African people have a deep fear of death and want to prevent it at all costs. That is why one of the unforgettable and remarkable incidents when the husband, the head of the family and the breadwinner, passed away were the rituals and the taboos inflicted on his widow. However, it is the aim of this chapter to unmask the extent to which widows in the African context undergo suffering, oppression, and abuse as a result of having lost their loved ones. The paper will also seek possible pastoral guidelines on how can we start not just minimizing, but avoiding and getting rid of those practices which subject and subordinate women after losing their husbands.
