By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
On Tuesday, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, announced the decision by the Government of Anambra State to enforce women’s right of inheritance in the State. In a letter addressed to the Nigerian Police Force, Anambra State Command, the Attorney General asked the Police to look into complaints of the disinheritance of women and, after investigation, transmit such cases to his office to commence prosecution.
With this, Anambra State stands as a shining light on the question of fundamental fairness surrounding the debate on gender equality, which has gained global prominence. This bold nod by the Government of Anambra State finds expression in Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s commitment in his manifesto (The People’s Agenda) to ensure social harmony “where no one irrespective of gender is discriminated against, and everyone feels absolutely at home,” Professor Soludo dreamed in his manifesto. Therefore, disinheritance on account of gender was a crucial part of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s agenda on law and order. This is why the move by the Anambra State Attorney General, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, must not be seen in isolation, but must be conceived of as a coordinated response of the State Government to a global campaign bordering on fundamental fairness and the right of the female child to inheritance.
A few years ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that it was illegal and unjust for any female child to be denied her right of inheritance. Many years later, the practice has continued, as many women are still denied their right of inheritance, while some are dispossessed of their rightful inheritance. In most cases, the women remain helpless because local community structures do not support women’s right of inheritance, thus creating a serious gap between legality and reality. This gap has now been addressed.
Moreover, the Attorney General, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, has set up structures at the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, Awka, to mainstream this bold step. In the letter to the Anambra State Police Command, Mr. Nweke said that the Ministry of Justice has a dedicated department that will attend to cases of female disinheritance. “To effectively combat this practice, this Ministry has designated the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Unit to handle the prosecution of offenders under Section 22 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, 2017 of Anambra State, alongside other forms of domestic violence and sexual offences,” the Attorney General assured, pointing to clarity and a deliberate policy. Anyone found to have denied a female her right to inheritance could be sentenced to up to four years’ imprisonment.
In light of this development, especially given the commitment demonstrated by the Anambra State Government towards mainstreaming the right of inheritance of the girl child, Anambra State has once again proven its capability to match global vision of a fair and equitable world with specific actions that meet expected outcomes in local communities. This move will not only address years of disempowerment and denial, but will also strengthen women’s right of inheritance as a matter that is no longer optional, thereby building a formidable, equitable, united, and fair Anambra State.
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