By Ononye VC
The Justice, Development,Peace and Caritas(JDPC) Archdiocese of Onitsha has joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Women’s Day which was held on March 8th,2024.
The JDPC commemorated the event with a lecture titled,”Inspiring Women’s Inclusion,access to Inheritance”,which was delivered to members of the Catholic Women Organisation CWO, Iyiowa Zone at the St Gregory Parish,Iyiowa,Ogbaru Local Government Area,to sensitize them on rights of women under the Nigerian Constitution.
While advocating “inspiring and inclusion”of women in the scheme of things,the Executive Director of JDPC, Archdiocese of Onitsha,Very Rev Dr Edwin Udoye,pointed out in his opening remarks that advocating women’s inclusion especially their access to inheritance of property of their fathers or husband’s is very germane and lawful.
According to him,customary discrimination against female gender in Igbo land is congenital;such that traditionally,male children are favoured over females for the inheritance of father’s property,hence women are discriminated against in Igbo inheritance practices.
Quoting constitutional authority in section 96(2)of the Administration and succession(estate of Deceased persons)and the position of the Supreme Court which states:”No matter the circumstances of birth of a female child,such a child is entitled to an inheritance from her late father’s estate.Consequently,the Igbo customary law which dis-entitles a female child from partaking in the sharing of her deceased father’s estate is in breach of section 42(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Fr Udoye further pointed out that one of the emphasis and mandate of the JDPC is seeking a better deal for widows and unmarried women for them to have a sense of belonging.
In his lecture titled:Inspiring Women’s Inclusion,access to Inheritance Right”,an Onitsha based legal practitioner,Barrister Aloysius Ezeonu,stated that he was passionate about the welfare of women and their rights.He pointed out that women should be encouraged and inspired and be lawfully included in issues bothering on inheritance.
The legal practitioner condemned discrimination,harmful, primitive and illegal practices against widows and other vulnerable women adding that women have been found very useful and productive in various callings of life.
Barrister Ezeonu made references to the scriptures where christians were admonished to accord and protect the rights of women and also gave insight about their rights under the law, inheritance,Wills among others.
Barrister Ezeonu advised women who feel deprived of their rights to complain or petition to the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA),the JDPC,engage lawyers or other human rights organisations to seek justice.
In her vote of thanks,the Organizer,CWO Iyiowa zone,Mrs Ezinwanne Caroline,thanked the JDPC and Barrister Ezeonu for literally opening the eyes of her members to know their rights.
The coordinator of the programme,Mrs Sandra Udu expressed gratitude to the JDPC for the opportunity to anchor the programme.
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