Justice Ministry holds seminar, educate public on importance of will making
By Owen Akenzua
The Delta State Ministry of Justice has hosted a seminar titled “The importance of making a will” which brought together different Ministries Agencies and Parastatals, (MDA’s), in the State Civil Service to demystify the process of making a will and highlighted its social and legal relevance.
Declaring the seminar opened in Asaba, the Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole SAN, represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Omamuzo Erebe Esq, stated that the reluctance of many Nigerians to prepare a will has been a longstanding issue, often leading to family disputes and hardship for loved ones left behind just as he urged the participants to take the training seriously describing it as a step towards making informed and life changing decisions.
Speaking during the session, the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Delta, Agbor, Prof. Okubor Nwuchukwu, in a paper titled “the role of a will in properties succession and family cohesion in Nigeria”, explained the purpose of writing a will and the requirements for a valid will.
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He stated that “a will must be viewed as essential in the Nigeria settings due to the intricacy of inheritance matters brought about by customary laws and the inherent injustice that usually occurs and also must security for women and children is ensured by creating a will which will eliminate claims that are based on custom and culture, additionally, for a will to be valid, it must be put in writing” .
Also speaking, a legal resource person, Dr Lilian Nwabueze highlighted the importance of having a will, such as ensuring your wishes are followed regarding your estate and assets. She emphasized that a will allows individuals to decide who inherits their properties and to appoint an executor to manage their estate adding that this proactive approach can prevent future disagreement among family members and streamline the process of distributing assets.
In her lecture, the Director of Probate, Delta State Judiciary, Mrs. Joy Akinjobin, also lectured the participants on the procedures required to obtain a letter of administration, letter of probate and death certificate adding that both are legal documents that will enable one to benefit from the estate of a deceased person.
