Na NELSON DAFE dey nack dis tori

Four sisters on 29 March 2023, become di first to benefit from di Rivers State Prohibition of di Curtailment of Women’s Rights to Share in Family Property Law No. 2 of 2022, after one High Court rule in dia favour for case between dem and dia three brothers.

Chinyere, Perpetual, Bertha and Josephine Abel carry dia three brothers to court over inheritance and dem win.

Di court wey Justice Augusta Kingsley Chuku preside over award dem damages to di tune of two million naira (N2 million).

She also order di brothers Godspower, Vincent and Lucky Abel to publish an apology for one national newspaper and two local newspapers for Rivers State.

Di four sisters take dis legal action against dia three brothers for discriminating against dem in di inheritance of dia late papa estate.

Dem ask di court to interpret some sections of di 1999 constitution as amended as well as sections of di Rivers State Prohibition of di Curtailment of Women’s Right to Share in Family Property Law No. 2 of 2022.

Di sisters stand on di fact say dis new law don come into effect for Rivers State, as di den govnor, Nyesom Wike sign am into law for September, 2022.

Many pipo especially gender rights advocates clap hand for dis landmark judgement wen e happen becos dis na di first time dis kain judgement wey favour women to inherit property dey come and na di first time pipo don put di new law into practice to uphold and protect di rights of women to inherit property of dia late parents.

Chinyere Abel Silver, di eldest among di four sisters explain to BBC Pidgin say wen dia papa, Late Peter Bekweri Abel, die for 2022 e no leave any Will, so na dia native law and custom of dia community for Ozuoba, Obio Akpor local goment area naim apply.

All di property of dia parents go to dia three younger brothers.

Dia mother bin don die earlier for 2014.

“My brothers sell off my papa property.”

Then dem bin wan sell off di property wia we bury my papa and my mama and we say no, make dem no sell am naim make we carry dem go court.

I ask dem not to sell dat place becos dat place na our main family house and dem no get any right to sell dis one.” Chinyere tok.

She say “di sharing of those property no be my problem; dat no be my interest becos I be woman. My own be say make dem no sell off dat land wia we bury my papa and my mama as e no good.”

“Di chiefs and elders of our community support us. Any wia we go, di Chiefs say no be good tin for my brothers to sell off di compound wia our parents dey rest so make we no allow dem sell off di place,” she tok.

Na October, 2022 di sisters dem carry dia three brothers go court but dia brothers no gree go court till di court give judgement in dia favour granting dia prayers.

Loving Johnson Akwu, di lawyer wey represent di four sisters say dem rely on Section 42(1a) of di 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as Amended and Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of di Rivers State Prohibition of di Curtailment of women's rights to share in family property, Law No. 2 of 2022 to prove di case.

E say na di brothers plan ti sell di compound wia dem bury dia papa and mama ginger di sister to go court.

Di lawyer say di brothers bin try to make settlement out of court but di first daughter wey be di most senior among di seven of dem insist for di court to determine di matter as dia parents die without will.

E add say di brothers no come court.

On 29 March 2023, di Judge, Justice Augusta Kingsley Chuku deliver judgement on di matter and ask di brothers to pay dia four sisters N2million as damages and also publish an apology to dem for one national newspaper and two local newspapers.

Di judgement order di three brothers to reshare di estate of dia late papa to accommodate di sisters adequately.

Di judgement fault di tradition and custom wey di brothers and defendants stand say e dey discriminatory and conflict with di provisions of di Constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria in Section 42(1) (a) and (2).

Dis Judgement also void di age-long tradition and customary law, wey forbid a female child from inheriting her father estate, a practice wey e describe as "anachronistic", dat is e dey out of date, primitive and unconscionable and not fit to exist in di 21st-century.

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