RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Wike has signed into law a bill which allows women to inherit family property.
Wike signed the Rivers State Prohibition of the Curtailment of Women’s Right to Share in Family Property Law No. 2 of 2022, the Rivers Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Law No. 3 of 2022, and the Rivers Pension Reform (amendment) Law No. 4 of 2022 on Thursday September 15.
READ ALSO:
Wike rejects Jibrin’s resignation as BoT chair, insists Ayu must go
Wike’s camp will continue to fight for space in PDP – Makinde
Rivers people will no longer be used and dumped by PDP – Wike
2023: “We will help you since you don’t want PDP to win”, Wike tells Ayu
“Because you’re a girl, you’re a woman, you’re not entitled to inherit what belongs to your father. It is not you who decides having a girl or a boy. It is God. So, put yourself in their shoes today where, by God’s mercy, you have three children, all girls, and you struggle in life to see what you can keep for them.
“Tomorrow, one of their uncles comes and says, ‘my friend, girls don’t inherit their father’s property.’ With all your efforts in life, somebody comes to discriminate against them. Why?
“We have even found out that women are more useful to us than even the men. The day you’re getting old and dying you’ll know that you need more daughters than men. They will leave their husbands’ houses and come to take care of you,” the governor noted.
He added that the law would enable women actualise their potential, and urged them to challenge discrimination in court based on the new law.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.