Akeredolu’s wife calls for strong legislation to protect female inheritance

The wife of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Betty, has advocated for strong legislation and policies to protect female inheritance in Nigeria.
Speaking at the workshop of the Forum of Wives of State Officials held to mark the International Women’s Day in Akure in Wednesday, the governor’s wife stressed that these would effect change in the social and cultural life of females in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme of the workshop is:  “The Nigerian Women and their Right to Inherit Property”.
She urged the National Assembly to look critically into the current protection under the law and that provided by the use of wills.
Akeredolu also decried the Nigerian traditional system where most females are being denied their parents’ inheritance due to cultural belief.
She said the workshop was designed to enlighten women on their rights within the law and customs and to teach them how to protect themselves  from exploitation and discrimination in terms of   possession of husband’s and father’s properties.
She said: “As women, it is important that we key into activities that enable us achieve gender parity. We must continue to press for progress in every social, economic and political field.’’
The guest speaker, Kehinde Adegbite, said Nigeria, as a country, is in an era of total liberation and advocacy for equality and elimination of gender bias.
Adegbite noted that females, especially wives that are legally married, have right to their husband’s property, including their female children.