By Tina Amanda
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Lokiaka Community Development Centre, has sensitized women in Rivers State on their rights to inherit family property, as part of activities marking the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The event, held in Bori, the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, attracted over 300 women from the four Ogoni LGAs: Eleme, Gokana, Khana, and Tai.
Speaking at the gathering, the Executive Director of Lokiaka, Martha Agbani, urged the women to demand their inheritance rights, referencing the Rivers State law that grants women and girls equal rights to family property.
Agbani explained that the law, Rivers State Prohibition of the Curtailment of Women’s Right to Share in Family Property Law No. 2 of 2022, was assented to by former Governor Nyesom Wike. At the time, Wike condemned cultural practices that deny female children inheritance rights.”It is not you who decides to have a girl or a boy; it is God. Imagine a situation where you have three daughters and have struggled to leave something for them, only for relatives to deny them inheritance.”
Despite the legal framework, Agbani lamented that women in parts of Ogoni are still denied their inheritance. She highlighted that most cases in Ogoni Customary and Appeal Courts revolve around land disputes, spousal denial, and widowhood issues.
“Women are losing their inheritance rights due to customary practices that do not allow them to own landed property.
Because we want to stop that, we needed to explore, to really make them understand this law, make them know their rights, how to apply their rights, know the issues as it affects them and help them to align to open discussions. This is a capacity building that we set up for the women and it has been an exciting experience.”
She expressed concern that some women have died while battling for their rightful inheritance and called on the state government to enforce the law effectively.
“So the government on their own needs to carry out very strategic sensitization, create awareness of the existence of these laws, and enforce them. Make the law enforceable so that people know the state laws supersede the customary laws or local laws.”
A legal consultant and activist, Mrs. Okorite Yibo, emphasized the need for widespread sensitization on women’s inheritance rights. She noted, “The government must carry out strategic awareness campaigns and enforce the law to override customary practices. But the responsibility also lies with civil society, the media, and individuals to ensure women know and fight for their rights.”
Participants shared their struggles, and Kate Kinanee from Khana highlighted how widows are often the most affected. “Tradition denies women inheritance rights, but today we have learned how to stand up for ourselves. I will return to my community to educate other women about their rights.
“Many things are happening now in Ogoniland, you see brothers and sisters fighting over your husband’s property and you will be moving around. Some of the women don’t have money to go to court, some don’t have anybody. But from the teaching of today, they have gotten the idea and I think they will make a move, like the widow they have gotten the idea”.
The program ended with calls for collaboration between the government, NGOs, and communities to ensure women in Rivers State can fully exercise their legal rights to family inheritance.
