This Chief Iwuayanwu’s will is making the rounds and even my dear Ruth Osime has hinted me that the issue would be a topic on one of her shows
Now what is the issue.. It has been reported that the late Chief willed some of his assets to his young wife but with a caveat that if she remarries, she will loose access.
Kobe Byrant the iconic American Superstar is also reported to have done the same
This has triggered a lot of debate in society.
I jumped on it on my colunm today in support of Chief Iwuayanwu and the feedback has been in torrents
A billionaire oil magnate reached out and told me that its a common clause in their circle and as such there is no need for the noise.
Women as expected have been up in arms labeling the chief with some very derogatory terms like wicked, jealous and plain stupid
My friend who is a lawyer and a Muslim woman chimes in
Edgar, What is right or wrong about a man or woman’s last wishes!!
Its such a basic thing I don’t understand all the noise!
Maybe because of my legal background and my area of practice!
Simple you can enjoy all my assets if you remain my widow. If you marry someone else (that you are free to do ) you no longer can have access to my assets.
If she marries her status as his widow changes and she becomes someone elses wife!!
She continues – Again alhamdulilai that I am a Muslim. Islam has all this sorted.
As a wife you are entitled to 1/8th of your husbands assests. And you are allowed to remarry immediately you complete the waiting period of 4 months and 10 days…
She continues – Legally there are implications to proprietary rights by marriage.
She now marries and the assets transfers to the new husband if anything happens to her
Even her children by the real owner of the assets can be left high and dry.
And finally ends with this bomb
I have seen where the wife owns property but she had no kids of her own but raised her nieces. When she died before her husband all her assets went to the man who transferred them to the child that he jad outside wedlock the news of which contributed to the late wife’s health problems that led to her death.
So where is my position in all of these.
My position is centered around the children. For me, the children are the most important and as such everything must be done to protect them and put them in the right positioning in the event of the demise of their father
Coming from this position, I dare say that the widow is not in the right position to protect the chikdren if she is given all the assets and wealth
Too many stories abound esp if she is still young. The chances that she would be ‘swept off her feet’ remains very high and as such could be distracted to the point where the kids would start eating from the crumbs or even have nothing to eat since decisions would now be taken from the heart which is now controlled by an outside force
For me, in this era of independent women, the women should fight for themselves . Build their own wealth and be partners so that when the old man goes whatver they get from him would be but a topping rather than depend on the wealth to maintain lifestyle
The issue with Nigerian independent women, is that they choose where to be independent.
Their feminism is very selective. They will be shouting independent woman o and now will be fighting for will
They should carry their feminism all the way-i dont need his wealth to be the woman that I am. He can give it all to his children and family. I am ok.
Our own feminism, no reach that side. Na backyard feminism – shouting equality in the market place but coming back at night to kneel and beg for succor or support or worse still money for hand, back for ground feminism
It is till death do us part and cannot be death as done us part but has conjoined the assets.
The assets too must part and it behoves on the man to leave enough to cover her living expenses, maintain the standard of living but anything above that, she must fend for herself if she is going to marry another man.
Chief Iwuayanwu did not want to be like old Roger in that poem who rose from his grave to give someone a knock, that is why he preempted it by putting that clause – if you remarry, lose it all.
He wanted to truly rest in peace and I think most men should do same
Thank you. You may come and beat me now
Duke of Shomolu