13/05/2016

SupremeCourtUpholdsWomensInheritanceRightsinIgboNigeria|MzAgams

Supreme Court Upholds Womens Inheritance Rights in

IgboNigeria

TheSupremeCourtonMonday,April14,voidedtheIgbocustomarylaw,whichdeniesdaughtersinheritingtheir
fathersestate.TheSupremeCourtsaiditwasdiscriminatoryandinconflictwiththe1999Constitutionofthe
FederalRepublicofNigeria.
Itisaverdictthatwouldhavefarreachingeffectsinaddressingadehumanisingtradition,whichcannolongerbe
excusedinamodern,democraticsocietysuchasours.Itisapracticethatregardedwomenaslowerthanmen.
ThejudgmentwasgiveninafamilydisputebetweenGladysAdaUkeje,whowasdisinheritedfromtheestateof
herdeceasedfather,LazarusOgbonnaUkeje.Shesuedherstepmother,Mrs.LoisChituruUkejeandherson,
EnyinnayaLazarusUkeje.
ALagosHighCourt,theCourtofAppealandtheSupremeCourtallreachedthesamedecision.Theyconfirmed
that Gladys was qualified under the laws of Nigeria to inherit her fathers estate. The verdict should settle this
matter forever in favour of all daughters in all corners of the country to claim their birthright, which they had
beendenied.
JusticeBodeRhodesVivour,whoreadtheleadjudgmentstated,Nomatterthecircumstancesofthebirthofa
female child, such a child is entitled to an inheritance from her late fathers estate. Consequently, the Igbo
customarylaw,whichdisentitlesafemalechildfrompartakinginthesharingofherdeceasedfathersestate,isa
breach of Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution, a fundamental rights provision guaranteed to every
Nigerian.

https://mzagams.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/supremecourtupholdswomensinheritancerightsinigbonigeria/

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