Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has finally signed into law the Bill on the right of female persons to inherit and own property in their father’s family.

The journey to domesticate global female inheritance in Abia State gained legal stature about two weeks earlier when the State House of Assembly passed the Bill seeking total elimination of discrimination against women into law.

The “proper citation of the Law is THE FEMALE PERSONS RIGHT OF INHERITANCE OF PROPERTY LAW, 2022,” while the Long Title of the Law is “A Law to provide for the Right of a Female Person to Inherit and Own Property and for other Matters Connected Therewith.”

Among the top Abia State Government officials that witnessed the signing into law of the bill are the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, the Permanent Secretary/Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Sir John Pedro Irokansi,  Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Okey Ahiwe.

NewsOrient reports that since the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on Ukeje v Ukeje, there has been increased demand to fully eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the area of ownership and inheritance of estate by females  in their families.

With this law, observers say other states, especially, Southeast states, are expected to follow suit.