WINDOWS RIGHT OF INHERITANCE IN NIGERIA: Can a Next of Kin Bar a Widow From Inheriting?
📸: SheResonance In Nigeria today, it is not unusual for the infamous 'Next of Kin' who is usually a parent or sibling to disinherit wives, and all these is predicated on a completely erroneous definition of what next of kin entails. About 2 months back, a distrust and exhausted widow came to me complaining about her in-laws. They took over her husband's estate and left nothing for her. She is single handedly taking care of the children she had with her late husband who are now in the university. In fact, she had to rent a house to stay because her mother in law rented out her husband's house and told her to hustle to take care of the children. She came, confused, asking "what rights do I have?" This is the question plaguing may Nigerian women- unawareness of the rights they have. Not just that, Some days back, a close relative of mine wanted to fill some employment form and when it was time to fill in the spot for next of kin, she called me to ask if she ...