By Violet Isek
The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Cross River State Chapter has said that it is making plans to visit Becheve community of Obanlikwu Local Government Area in northern Cross River, to sensitize the people on the ills of the “money woman tradition”.
Secretary of NAWOJ in the state, Imani Odey, who is also the state correspondent for Channels TV, made this known on Sunday while speaking as a guest on “The Dialogue with Agba Jalingo”, on Hit 95.9FM Calabar.
The money woman tradition is an age old practice in Becheve community of Obanliku local government area of northern Cross River State.
The practice affects the female gender and sees the female tagged a ‘Money Woman’ sold to an elderly man for reasons ranging from debts, to pledges poverty among others.
The practice sees the senior males in the family sell out, or give out a daughter or sister to any man from that community for cash or items such as pigs, goats, poultry birds and several others.
The money woman becomes the property of the owner and is engaged in a money marriage with the owner who can treat her in whatever manner he pleases; a scenario which some have argued is akin to modern day slavery.
The practice affects not only little girls, as sometimes, daughters are even pledged before they are conceived and the debt can stand for generations while the money woman already given out can be passed from one generation to another as a property.
NAWOJ is now calling on the media, religious bodies and non-governmental organizations to extend their services to the community and do more sensitization.
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