Empowering Women Through Education: Asserting Inheritance Rights in Nigeria

Abstract

n the context of contemporary reality, the area of inheritance is still one in which women are discriminated
against based on sex. Matters relating to inheritance of Land and property of economic and customary
value were almost always devolved to the extended family levels. This meant that women were to a large
extent, denied access to wealth and the means of making it and for all or most of their lives they had to
contend with being treated as appendages either to their fathers, husbands or brothers. In extreme
situations, they were little more than chattels and merchandise. This work examines the role of education
in empowering women to assert their inheritance rights which patriarchal norms and discriminatory laws
often deny them. Through doctrinal method it x-rays how education influences women’s knowledge,
attitudes, and actions regarding inheritance rights. Findings show that educated women are more likely to
be aware of their rights, challenge discriminatory practices and assert their claims to inheritance.
Education also enhances women’s economic independence, social status, and negotiation skills enabling
them to navigate complex family dynamics and legal system. The work therefore recommends gender-
sensitive education and legal reforms in Nigeria.