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Inheritance! Inheritance!! Inheritance!!!, This happens to be the topic in virtually all family meetings with the family members especially the male folks anchoring on this particular topic and in most cases serious arguments and disagreements arises. Inheritance could be said to be a legal entitlements of which a person is entitled to either hereditarily or biologically.

In my hometown Uruan, we have a culture oh how family inheritance is being shared. The oldest member of the family (the head) divides the family inheritance in order of importance among the younger people in the family actually the male folks have a greater share of the inheritance as it is believed that they are the ones to keep the family name from generations to generations while the women will have a change of name after being married off by their suitors.

Sharing of family inheritance evenly isn't always easy especially when the head of the family is late or unavailable, these families do face a lot of challenges, pressure and problems to tackle in the process of sharing family inheritance, let's look at some;

1. Selfishness/greediness among family members as everyone wants to have a bigger share of the family's property

2. Murder and killings due to unyielding arguments and disagreements among family members

3. Widows are treated with contempt and their husband's properties taken away from them by wicked paternal relations

4. Lack of money to employ legal assistance in aiding the share of family inheritance

It is said that:

"A stich in time saves nine" besides "Prevention is better than cure"

Therefore the above challenges could be prevented or stopped through the following ways;

i. Aged family heads should plan for their family's future by writing wills and making them legal

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ii. These wills should be committed in the hands of trustworthy legal practitioners who do not succumb to bribery

iii. Parents should be instill the value of untiy and peace in their children so cases like sharing of inheritance could be done amicably

iv. No child should be treated as inferior and no preferential treatment should be accorded to a particular gender

v. Parents should not wait until they grow old before writing a will as unexpected events like accident may occur taking breath out of them.

People in my hometown respect father's will a whole lot. To them, it seems like a dying man's last wish which must be kept no matter what but greed and love for money has degraded the respect of some towards father's will.

Actually, we're pretty young in our family and this particular topic has never been brought up before, but since I have come to realize that it is a very important issue, I think I will explain to my dad the need of addressing the issue anytime soon because me I need my share of property ooo.

On one occassion, I actually experienced the way family inheritances were shared, it took place in my dad's family when my grandfather willed and shared his properties amongst his children with the heads of the different clans present. As my dad's handbag/Personal assistant, my Dad took me alongside him on that fateful day due to my relentless cries, I was 9 at that time and was pretending as if I never knew anything that was going on there meanwhile the girl was making good use of her brain

After series of traditional practices, breaking of kolanut etc, my dad and other sons of the family were each taken to their plot of land and the documents officially handed over to them, the females were each given a bedroom to live in as their of which some decided to rent out. The occasion ended with a little feast of traditional foods among the people present and trust me I had more than enough to consume at least my cries were not in vain

The opportunity to have a share in the family's lot is a privileged that should be cherished, and it must be carried out the right way with all serious. Instead of bringing in divisions and confusions in these joyous moments, we should endeavour to make it successful and promote peace

Cc:
@ijelady
@focusnow
@samuel20
@luchyl