Actress Regina Chukwu who lost her husband to the cold hands of death in June 2003, says she doesn't like being referred to as a single mother. Speaking in an interview with The Nation, Regina said
"I don’t like being referred to as a single parent. The fact that I lost my husband does not make me a single parent. I just want to take God, for the way they have turned out to be. I am my daughter’s best friend".
On why she hasn't remarried, Regina says it is because of her kids.
"Actually, it is because of them that I decided not to remarry then. Like I said earlier, I won’t call myself a single parent, because I am Igbo. The fact that you have lost your husband does not mean that you are still not married to that family. So as it is traditionally I am still married to my husband family. I am still their wife and if they want to do any family function, I am considered and called upon. I still belong to the community wives meeting. When my husband passed away, I was called and asked if I wanted to remarry. The condition was for me to leave their children and go ahead. But I looked at my kids and they were still very young and I decided to stay. My children have been asking if I won’t remarry; they want a baby sister or brother. But I don’t know what God has in plan for me. I am open to whatever God is says will happen to me. If I decide to remarry now, it means whoever I want to get married to will pay my bride price and my parents will then go back to my late husband’s family to return the bride price they paid on me. It is tradition telling them this lady is no longer your wife. But when it is not done, I still remain their wife. I still paid my mother-in-law a visit last year"she said Regina says it hasn't being easy being a widow "It hasn’t been easy. I started my career about 13 years ago and my kids were still very young at that time. But today, my daughter is 16 and my son is 14, I am grateful to God. But not that they are grown up, it gives me more time to be able to pursue my dream to the level I want to take it to. Not that I have attained that dream, because I am yet to receive some awards that I want my name on, but so far, it has been great. It is not that I don’t worry about their welfare, but I have my mom and my siblings to fall back on their wellbeing, wherever I am not around".Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Another Nigeria interpretation to English meaning of a phrase.Before marriage people are"single",once you are married you are no more single but described as "married".Irrespective of whatever happens during married life the moment you are no more with your husband,you legally and commonly become "unmarried" permit me the use of that word.A formerly married woman with kids is definitely a single parent until she remarries,if she doesn't then she is a single parent.Being an igbo woman had got nothing to do with English language and phrases
ReplyDeleteWe are not English, we are Africans and the Igbos in particular do not have single parent so long you've been married no matter what happened not divorce you are not a single parent.
DeleteI don't know which part of Nigeria you come from, but please be informed that she is very correct. She remains married until her bride price is returned to her parents.
ReplyDeleteShe is Mrs Chukwu. Will you call Mrs Chukwu a single parent? She will also wear her wedding rings.
It is only if there was a divorce that the lady or man becomes single again. Are Obasanjo, Mrs Yar'dua, and Babaginda now single?