A PRESENTATION BY

Kehinde Adegbite, Esq

barrykehinde@yahoo.co.uk
08038556525
.
The verb of inheritance is inherit. So what does it
mean to inherit?
Oxford Dictionary defines it this way to inherit is
to receive money, property etc. as a result of the
death of the previous owner.

NOTE: The idea of inheritance is not new; it is an
ancient practice, though the concept of
documenting (in writing) how property is inherited
is of modern development.



In the Old Testament era, possessions were
passed to the sons while the eldest son would
receive double portion (Deut. 21 vs 17).
Women were not to inherit from their fathers
except in the absence of a son (Numbers 27 vs 1
11).
If a man has no offspring, then his relations
would inherit his property (Numbers 27 vs 9).
It was also in practice to call ones offsprings
together for the last blessings and instructions
on burial and other things (Gen. 48, 49 and 50).

Section 43 of the Nigerian
Constitution provides:

every citizen of Nigeria shall
have the right to acquire and own
immovable property anywhere in
Nigeria.

So your right to give your
possessions to whoever you want
is part of your right to own
property and distribute it as it
pleases you.
SUCCESSION
TESTATE
INHERITANCE
INTESTATE
INHERITANCE
This refers to a
situation where a
person dies leaving a
will behind.
This deals with a
situation where a
person dies without a
will or with an invalid
will.
A will is a legal document written by a
person called testator in which he/she
states how his/her assets should be
distributed among certain persons
regarded as his/her beneficiaries upon
death.

A good man leaveth an
inheritance to his
childrens children (Proverbs
13:22).
For where a testament is, there
must also of necessity be the
death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after
men are dead: otherwise it is of
no strength at all while the
testator liveth. (Hebrews 9: 16-
17).

Landed property e.g. house, farmland or undeveloped land.
Furniture
Clothes
Books secular and religious
Domestic utensils
Jewelries
Insurance benefits
Pension entitlements
Balance in bank accounts
Shares in companies
Personal treasures e.g. musical instruments.
Vehicles
Benefits in partnership business
Electronics
Royalties
Your body, etc.
Some of the wrong notions people
have about a will are:

it is a reminder of death.
a will should be written by those
who are sick or old.
a will is only meant for the rich.
the idea of writing a will is
unAfrican.
a will brings disaffection after a
makers death, among others.

Appointing elderly or older executors
and trustees or willingly ones e.g.
Lady Diana appointed her mother as
her executives
Keeping their wills in a place
unknown to anyone
Giving joint or family property in a will
Depriving a relative without disclosing
a reason
A man who has shared all that he has in his
lifetime or does not have asset worthy of
being transferred through a will.
To Advance the work of the kingdom.
e.g. I hereby direct my Trustees to give the sum of #50,000 every month to
assist the Anglican Cathedral, Auchi, Edo.
Funeral directions
e.g. I direct my Executors and Trustees to ensure that I am buried, after
opportunity has been given to as many people as possible to view my corpse
lying in state, in my house at Osi Road Benin, Edo State. My tomb should be
located next to my mothers tomb in the compound.
To give special protection
e.g. Maintenance of Mrs. Chukwuma. She shall be given #60,000 a month.
The amounts may be reviewed by my Trustees from time to time having
regard to the cost of living in Nigeria and funds available in the Chukwuma
Trust Account
Maintenance of a trust account
Protection of Business Interests


Provision of education to your children
Protection of a spouses interests
Financial Assistance to others
Charity & Scholarship
Special care for a physically challenged
dependant
Provision of financial security
Maintenance of peace
Set up annual lecture in your memory or annual
christian programme.
Setting up a foundation e.g. Nobel Laurel.
It must name identifiable
beneficiaries.
It specifies properties.
It must appoint executors.
To ensure that your
property get to your
desired hands.
To ensure peace after
your demise.
To ensure that you
appoint your executors.
To give yourself an
opportunity to express
your last wishes.
OR
With the sophistication in society and the
practice of modernity, a number of persons
nowadays make wills before they die. If this is
done, and the will is validly made in law, then
the property of the deceased will be distributed
according to his testamentary wishes as
contained in the will. In this latter case, the
deceased is said to have died testate and there
is therefore really no room for any speculation
as to how the property should be distributed.
The testator has said it all in his will which must
be followed to the letter, since persons alive
cannot rewrite the will of a testator.

NIKI TOBI.

Does a united and loving nuclear
family need a will?

Who needs a will?
Can I will my gun?
Can I will my debt?
Can I will my dog?