By Halimah Olamide
Stakeholders at the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), have highlighted advocacy as one of the tools in tackling inheritance issues against women.
The conversation which was the 11th day of the 16-Day Activism Against Gender-Based Violence held on X (formerly Twitter) was tagged: “Inheritance Issues and the Fate of Women”
In attendance at the event were panelists including; Head High International Organization, Tinu Odugbemi, Senior Partner, Livingston Attorneys, Christian Love, BBC Reporter, Karina Igonikon, and lecturer, Imo State University, Chigoziri Ojiaka.
Odugbemi in her opening remarks noted that women are often seen as properties that can be shared in which some widows have been ripped of their rightful inheritance.
She however suggested that people should endeavor to write their wills to have a say in what goes on with their properties.
“We have several widows that have been stripped of what should rightly belong to them and their children and this is quite touching.
“In the African tradition, women as wives are mostly looked at as cartels that are bought over when they are married and that still translates in a lot of situations that we have come across in our organization and you find us fighting over this several times.
“Make sure you write a will so that when you go you have a right to dictate what happens to your property
Christian Love, pointed out that while wills must be written, it is however important to see the intention of the administration of estate laws and the rules of procedures to forestall the properties of the deceased from falling into dubious persons.
He further established that peace should be made to reign and any form of enmity to reduce the rate at which wills are contested.
“Let the peace of God reign in homes so that when wills are written, they are not going to be contested. Once the foundation of the home is peaceful, nobody including women is going to be left behind.
“One of the spirits of writing wills is that it is not gender biased.”
According to Karina, wills are made to protect women and however culturally, women are often sidelined.
“Culturally, they say women have no business with inheritance, it’s a men’s affair, we see a lot of women shortchanged, we see them among the things that are shared in the family as a portion or inheritance.”
She further revealed that there is also a need to enlighten and advocate for women to gain insight and knowledge on the necessary information needed to reduce the rate at which they’re sidelined.
She revealed that the Rivers States’ Female Right to Inheritance law which was passed last year has given several women to go to court to demand what rightfully belongs to them.