On April 6, 2024, an X user (formerly Twitter) posted a picture with the caption, “Late Ondo’s Gov. Akeredolu’s widow, Betty, ‘remarries’ his younger brother.” The tweet was accompanied by different screenshots, including the picture of Betty Anyawu, Rotimi Akeredolu and Wole Akeredolu, the younger brother of the late Ondo governor.
As of the time of writing this report, the post has garnered over 1.6M views and 1.3K reposts, 6.8K likes, over 1.1K comments, and reactions by X users.
Claim: Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu remarried her late husband’s younger brother
Verification
The CDD War Room traced the screenshots attached to the tweet depicting an event that Betty Akeredolu posted on her Instagram handle. On April 1, 2024, betty akeredolu posted an event that took place at the late Chief BUB and Nneoma Dora Anyanwu’s compound at Umuikea Emeabiam of Imo State; the event was the traditional ‘Mgbafu Mkpe’ ceremony of Her Excellency, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, wife of the Late Governor of Ondo State, Arankurin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON who passed away in December 2023.
CDD War Room found that The ‘Mgbafu Mkpe’ is a traditional Igbo ceremony performed shortly after the demise and burial of a woman’s husband in Igbo land. CDD War Room found that the ceremony it is peculiar to the people of Imo State. The family of the woman’s husband would indicate interest in still having the widow live with them or not. When a woman is married to a far place, and the husband dies, the relatives of the widow would want the relatives of the late husband to reassure them that the widow is still wanted and cherished. The traditional rite, in this case, is known as the mgbafu mkpe rite, which is performed after the passing and burial of a woman’s husband. On April 8, 2024, The Nation Newspaper reported the handover of Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu to her late husband’s family in the Emeabiam Community in Imo State. It stated that the “Mgbafu Mkpe” serves as a poignant ritual that symbolises the community’s support and care for widows during times of loss and transition.
Verdict: MISLEADING
The caption that the wife of the late Ondo governor, Betty, remarried his younger brother is MISLEADING; checks revealed that it was a tradition called “Mgbafu Mkpe” performed for widows and does not require marrying any member of the family in particular.
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