Female inheritance may not have been the norm in some parts of the African continent but today, it is acceptable in many parts of the world.
In Nigeria, a High Court sitting in Uyo, the Akwa-Ibom State capital, ruled against one Mr. Sampson Silas Udoh who allegedly dragged two of his nieces to Court for attempting to inherit their late father’s properties.
The High Court in its final ruling, charged Mr. Sampson Udoh, an indigene of Itiam Etoi in Uyo Local Government Area of the state to pay the sum of twenty million, one hundred thousand Naira to two of his nieces as a penalty for his offense.
The applicant, Mr Udoh is to pay the sum of ten million, fifty thousand naira to each of the two girls as the court held that Mr Udoh attempted to breach the fundamental rights of his nieces who are the children of his elder brother.
It also held that while Mr Udoh, sought the enforcement of his application to stop his nieces from inheriting their late father’s property, female children have equal stake with their male counterparts to inherit their parents properties and that it was high time paramount rulers, clan heads, village heads and community leaders in Akwa Ibom State came to terms with this fact.
Delivering the judgement which lasted for an hour, the presiding judge, Justice Ntong Ntong described the applicant’s action as obnoxious and repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience while stressing that “the maltreatment is opprobrium, offensive and unconstitutional”.
The Court also held that: “the first and second respondents acquired their father’s property at Isaac Silas Udo Obot’s compound, Nung Udoetok Ibom Adia Abasi of Itiam Etoi, Uyo, a fact contained in exhibits canvassed in their counter affidavit in the minutes of the peace meeting and property sharing agreement of Udoetok Ibom Adia Abasi Family, dated 11th January, 2019.
“The applicant cannot be allowed to take advantage of the vulnerability of his nieces just because they were born girls and women into their family.
“From the totality of credible evidence before the Court, the Police and other respondents did not and are not likely to encroach or infringe upon the rights of the applicant.
“Instead it was the applicant that infringed upon the fundamental rights of his nieces, with impunity, which cannot be allowed to stand.
“The application for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental rights has failed woefully in its entirety and dismissed same with cost of total sum of twenty million, one hundred thousand Naira payable to the 1st and 2nd Respondents at ten million, fifty thousand Naira, each.”
The Akwa Ibom state high court has thus, paved a way for many other Nigerians, Africans and even global citizens to understand that female inheritance of family properties is not a taboo
Mrs Bakabasi James, Miss Ndantiabasi Silas, as well as Mr. Williams Ubetem, the Investigating Police Officer( IPO) attached to the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia and the State Commissioner of Police all joined asspondents in the suit which was filed on 16th August, 2022,
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