Propertied Women and Inheritance in South West Nigeria: What has changed?

Abstract

The low status of women the world over has received attention from scholars and professionals in the field of development studies. Gradual changes have been recorded in some areas of life across nations. The changes have however not covered a majority of the women folks in many nations of the world especially the third world countries. The paper examined propertied women in South West Nigeria in relation to how they manage, control and transfer their properties with the intention of tracking the overall effect of the acquired properties all the women folks (Young and old). About 195 out of 225 sampled propertied women who owned properties ranging from land, houses, and small scale industries were selected along the divide of indigenous and foreign (modern ) properties from both Lagos and Ogun state. The paper argues that the propertied women in the study area have actually experienced a remarkable change in their status as a result of property acquired over time. The effect of this new status is noticeable in the management, control and transfer of properties from older women to younger ones. Profound change in line with equal access to landed property is however common in the South and South East Yoruba ethnic group. It is therefore concluded that the factors that changed the propertied women s mental set will slowly but surely continue to enhance further changes given the sustenance of the current dynamics.