Appraisal of widow’s right of inheritance under the Nigerian legal system

Abstract

Basically, inheritance is the inalienable right of all members of the human family. It is linked to the enjoyment of all categories of rights because the wealth acquired by members of oner generation usually assists the incoming generation to lay a solid foundation, build and improve upon it before handing over the baton to another set of people. Denial of inheritance rights impoverishes widow’s and make widow’s less economically secured. This paper examines widow’s right of inheritance under the various laws, that is, customary, Islamic and general laws. The paper discuses different rights of widows and how those rights are exercised.