This study examined the librarian and use of information as a tool in curtailing
various harmful widowhood practices· in Nigeria. Prominent among these practices
are sitting and sleeping on the floor, shaving of hair, drinking the water used in
washing corpse, sleeping with corpse and jumping over corpse among others.
Widows adhere to these practices to preserve tradition, as a proof of innocence and
to attract love from dead husband and relations. Effects on widows range from
psychological to health challenges, poverty and death. The paper further discusses
information as a tool that the librarian can implore to bring such harm fit! practices
to the fur, inform widows about their rights, including various non-governmental
organizations interested in their affairs and to educate the perpetrators on the evil
effects of such practices. It concludes by advising the Ministry of Women Affairs to
encourage the formation of Widows' Association as a way of creating widows'
visibility. The Government is also enjoined to use its position to protect Nigerian
widows from molestation in the name oftraditional practice
