Abstract:
The topic for this study was the impact of the practice and administration of customary law of
inheritance on gender equality in contemporary Igbo society. The objectives of the study were, a)
to examine the economic status of the women of Igbo society b) to examine the two types of
laws which are used in Nigeria on matters of inheritance c) to look at the practices and
administration of the above laws in the cases of inheritance d) to establish the impact of the
negative inheritance practices on women in Igbo society e) to establish what could be done in
order to support women during the cases of inheritance.
The major findings of the study indicated that, inheritance of property, especially land was of
great importance in the Igbo society. A woman’s ability to inherit may depend on her marital
status and most importantly her ability to bear a male child. Young Igbo women have no rights to
inherit their fathers’ property unless they remain unmarried and bear a male child in family. Igbo
women, especially the traditional women were very hard working in their agricultural activities
where they pulled resources and produce together with their husbands without seeking separation
of possessions. However at the demise of their spouse, the pieces of land they had laboured on
are taken away by kinsmen and the fate of the women are left hanging on the goodwill of the
kinsmen. There was physical, psychological, social as well as economic humiliation during the
time of mourning the husband and thereafter. The duplicity of laws, being, the English common
law and the customary laws further complicated any chance a woman had to claiming
inheritance. The constitution on the other hand, was overriding the international treaties that
Nigeria has ratified, which could have supported the rights of women. From the point of view of
the study, the Nigerian government needs to revisit the constitution to amend it and also to
examine some of the customary laws that leaned strongly on traditional beliefs and practices.
