Faith Essien, a Nigerian woman, has urged other women to demand an equal share in their family’s properties.
Women are still being left out of their parents’ inheritance in many parts of Nigeria despite a Supreme Court ruling that it is discriminatory to exclude female children, “whatever the circumstances of their birth” from sharing in the parents’ estate.
The apex in 2014, abolished the ancient culture in Igboland that denies women the right of inheriting property in their father’s house.
A 5-man panel of Justices held that the practice conflicted with section 42(1)(a) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.
According to the court, “Any culture that did-inherits a daughter from her father’s estate or wife from her husband’s property by reason of God instituted gender differentials should be punitively dealt with”.
The Supreme Court maintained that “The punishment should serve as a deterrent measure and ought to be meted out against the perpetrators of the culture and custom.”
In a Facebook post on Friday, December 27, 2024, Ms Essien stated that a woman owns an equal part of her family’s property with her brothers.
“If your Father owns even a plot of land or a small house and as a Woman, you don’t own a part of it, you should forget about Feminism,” she wrote.
Everything your Father owns is your right as a woman. Like your full right.
If your father’s house is one room, your brother shouldn’t live there, the house should be rented out and rent shared equally amongst all the children of the family. Or if your brother wants to stay there, he should pay you rent.
Start your equality with the Male in your family. Negotiate peacefully with them, but if they prove stubborn, hire a lawyer and go to court.
The laws of the federal Republic of Nigeria gives you full and equal rights of inheritance as your Male siblings. In the eyes of law, there’s no gender supremacy.
If anybody tells you they will marry you out and as such you don’t deserve a part in your family property, tell all the men that a woman from another family will also marry them.
Family properties are collective efforts of Father and Mother, so why do mothers keep quiet and watch their daughters being cheated??? That nonsense should stop.
If you feel your girl child shouldn’t inherit your property and doesn’t deserve equal treatment as your Male child, Kpai her at birth.
There’s no justifiable reason why any woman should not own equal part of her family property with her brothers.
Dear woman, My advice to you is, as you travel for Christmas, tell your Father and kinsmen that you want a share in your family properties.
