An impending shortage of husbands is anticipated in Anambra and other areas.

Concerns are being raised about the looming scarcity of husbands and spouses in Anambra State and other areas of the Southeast geopolitical region. This raises worries that young Igbo women may face the scenario prophesied by Isaiah the Prophet.

A report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) suggests that unrest and violence in Anambra and the wider Southeast geopolitical zone may hinder Igbo women from finding partners. The report, based on findings from the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), highlights a structural issue in demographic sustainability due to difficulties in finding mating partners. Women, particularly, are impacted by killings, rape, loss of husbands and sons, and deprivation of livelihoods.

The report also highlighted the significant impact of unrest.

The report also highlighted the significant impact of unrest in Igboland since 1999, resulting in the loss of thousands of young lives and mass migration from rural areas. This has made it increasingly difficult for women to find suitable partners for marriage, leading to a rise in unmarried and unfulfilled women in the Southeast.

Furthermore, the security challenges are predicted to exacerbate the number of unmarried women in the region, as potential suitors may have been killed. Women may also hesitate to have children outside of marriage due to societal stigma and fear of bringing shame to their families.

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The report cited specific cases of violence, such as the killings of Amaka Igwe and Harira Jubril and her daughters, which have left many women widowed and economically disadvantaged, contributing to mass widowhood and enforced childlessness.

In rural communities, polygamy remains common, and women’s access to land is often dependent on their relationship with men, leaving married women without sons vulnerable to land loss.

The consequences of insecurity have also undermined previous progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Anambra, as young boys abandon education and flee their communities to avoid violence.

The Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), consisting of 14 members, was established in June 2022 to investigate insecurity in the state and the wider Southeast region. Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer and former chairman of the Nigeria Human Rights Commission, chairs the commission.