No Inheritance, No Contribution? Nigerians Debate Daughters’ Role In Family Property

A woman’s refusal to contribute about ₦1.5 million to her father’s village building project because she said she would not inherit the property has sparked a wider conversation about family responsibility, culture, inheritance, and the expectations placed on daughters. The woman, who identified herself as Ikwerre, said she had initially planned to support her father’s building project with about $1,000, which she estimated at about ₦1.5 million at the time. According to her account, she later asked whether she would inherit part of the building if her father died and was told that she could not inherit it because she was a woman under their tradition. She said she could instead be given a room or space to stay whenever she visited. She subsequently withdrew her planned contribution, saying the male children who would inherit the property should contribute to its construction. She, however, stressed that her decision did not mean she would stop supporting her father personally.

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