A retiree, Mary Torkwase Antom, 58, from Tse
Baraku Benue State, has taken a bold step to immortalize her late
husband and late son’s names by marrying a 27-year-old lady.
She
and her husband, Patrick, a retiree of the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture, were blessed with only one child, Thomas Awuhe, who was was
in SS2 when he died in 2004. A year later, her husband also died.
So
she made the move to secure not only the family name but also its
property. A friend later told her about a pretty young unmarried lady,
Juliet Muese, who was on the verge of being disowned by her parents over
her inability to identify the person responsible for her pregnancy.
Mrs.
Antom then sought Juliet’s hand in marriage for her dead son, in
keeping with Tiv tradition. The parents of Juliet also readily agreed.
“What I did is a well-known practice in our place and culture,” she said
in defence.
“There are a lot of
children, almost 18% of them born after their father’s death. These
children answer their father’s name.” The marriage that took place in
2007, has produced two boys with the third child on the way.
“Juliet
is comfortable answering my son’s name. She wrote JAMB and I’m
processing her admission to the Federal University, Lafia,” she said.
On
her part, Juliet says: “I have no problem, in fact I’m doing better
than those who got married to living husbands. Hajia is planning to buy a
car for me next year if I secure a university admission. .
As
you can see, I’m looking sweet and people toast me a lot, but I shun
them. At the moment, I have a boyfriend who is a student at the state
university, Keffi. My second son’s biological father who is a student at
Keffi is married.
He is equally
responsible for this very one l’m carrying, but he cannot come and claim
them. So, there is no problem. I’m good to go.”
The
village head in Doma LGA, Chief Angbande Hue, said what happened is a
known tradition among his people, adding that the tradition was very
rampant in the 60s.