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  • NKUHO UMAN: AN ANCIENT EFIK & IBIBIO PRIDE

    NKUHO UMAN: AN ANCIENT EFIK & IBIBIO PRIDE

    Nkuho Uman is a traditional, ancient Efik/Ibibio custom. You could see it as some sort of special care for a new mother, which can be likened to Mbokpo (Fattening).

    Although fattening is premarital preparation of the bride by her parents before being presented to her groom, it is a mark of honour to the bride’s parents as they send a strong message to the groom that they can take proper care of the daughter under their care, and as such, do not expect any less care for the daughter by the husband.

    Nkuho Uman on the other hand is a postpartum care by the mother in-law (mostly the bride’s mother), to put her daughter who has just recently delivered of a baby through the process of fully assuming her role as a mother. This process however takes a period of two to three months.

    During this time, the mother-in-law ensures that she guides the new mother to ease into Sits-bath, hot water therapy, which involves soaking a cloth in hot water and using it to massage the new mother’s belly. What the new mother needs to eat to help with milk production for the baby’s consumption, the kind of food to eat and even the kind of cloths to wear will be determined by the mother-in-law who is more experienced.

    How to carry the baby, breastfeeding positions and even sitting positions may just look like simple things everyone should know, but wait until your mother-in-law teaches you the simplest thing as how to sit all over again.

    Without-a-doubt, one of the most recommended foods for new mothers within the Ibibio milieu is Ekpang Nkukwo; made from cocoyam, water yam and fresh leaves, spiced with periwinkle, ikpa enang (what is known as kpomo), fish ( either fresh or dry) and most importantly, red oil to give it a relishing taste.

    Traditional research has shown that garri, soaked with much water (as seen in the custard pail) generates fresh and much breast milk for the baby. This we may not learn at Harvard.

    Now, Ndõm, the clay (popularly known as White-chalk) dissolved with water and applied on the skin as powder helps clean, smoothens and revitalizes the new mother’s skin. The Mkpin (miniskirt), homely made from wrapper material is what the new mother wears to enhance her free movement and indeed a body check to determine how healthy she is.

    Note that within this period, the mother and the baby go through a thorough routine massage to strengthen and revive the body from inside to outside; giving them the much desired body shape.

    It is also important to note that all of these are carried out solely for health benefits and have zero fetish implication. It’s rather sad that this culture is fading away. However, it is a thing of pride and quite appreciable to see those who still understand and practice this rich culture.

  • How Epidemics Slow Down Female Education

    How Epidemics Slow Down Female Education

    COVID-19 is having a negative impact on girls’ health and well-being – and many are at risk of not returning to school once they reopen. Available research shows that prevalence of violence against girls and women has increased during the pandemic – jeopardizing their health, safety and overall well-being.

    As school closures and quarantines were enforced during the 2014‐2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, women and girls experienced more sexual violence, coercion and exploitation. School closures during the Ebola outbreak were associated with an increase in teenage pregnancies. Once schools re-opened, many “visibly pregnant girls” were banned from going back to school.

    With schools closing throughout the developing world, where stigma around teenage pregnancies prevails, we will probably see an increase in drop-out rates as teenage girls become pregnant or married. As girls stay at home because of school closures, their household work burdens might increase, resulting in girls spending more time helping out at home instead of studying. This might encourage parents, particularly those putting a lower value on girls’ education, to keep their daughters at home even after schools reopen. Moreover, research shows that girls risk dropping out of school when caregivers are missing from the household because they typically have to (partly) replace the work done by the missing caregiver, who might be away due to COVID-19-related work, illness, or death.

    Therefore, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, we might see more girls than boys helping at home, lagging behind with studying, and dropping out of school.

  • How Poverty & Violence Affect Women Education

    How Poverty & Violence Affect Women Education

    Poverty is one of the most important factors for determining whether a girl can access and complete her education.

    Studies consistently reinforce that girls who face multiple disadvantages — such as low family income, living in remote or underserved locations or who have a disability or belong to a minority ethno-linguistic group — are farthest behind in terms of access to and completion of education.

    Violence also prevents girls from accessing and completing education – often girls are forced to walk long distances to school placing them at an increased risk of violence and many experience violence while at school. Most recent data estimates that approximately 60 million girls are sexually assaulted on their way to or at school every year. This often has serious consequences for their mental and physical health and overall well-being while also leading to lower attendance and higher dropout rates. An estimated 246 million children experience violence in and around school every year, ending school-related gender-based violence is critical. Adolescent pregnancies can be a result of sexual violence or sexual exploitation. Girls who become pregnant often face strong stigma, and even discrimination, from their communities.

    The burden of stigma, compounded by unequal gender norms, can lead girls to drop out of school early and not return.