BY CHARLES KUMOLU

Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama, SAN, has said that Wills as legal documents have not ensured family cohesion, noting that it is a subject of litigations as a result of complaints and rejection.
He also called for proper up-bringing of children as the best way of ensuring family cohesion rather than depending on  writing of Wills.

Utuama stated this while declaring open a one-day  seminar organized by Aequitas Chambers, Asaba, in conjunction with the Nigerian Bar Association ,NBA, Asaba Branch, with theme: The Role of Wills in Property Succession and Family Cohesion.”

His words: ‘’Proper upbringing of children is the best way to ensure family cohesion rather than the writing of a Will. A Will may not necessarily guarantee the cohesion of the family. A Will can only reinforce it.

He emphasized that a Will as a legal document, states who gets what or part of somebody’s property when such a person is no more but if a Will is not properly executed, it could lead to the disintegration, rather than the cohesion of the family. Citing several cases to buttress his argument, Utuama said the writing of a Will can be said to be an act of cowardice, stressing that a man should be bold enough to share his properties among his people in his life time.

While commending the organizers of the seminar, he noted that writing a Will and similar exercises afford legal practitioners opportunities of continuous education. He commended the efforts of Ekemejero  Ohwovoriole, the Head of Aequitas Chambers and NBA, Asaba Branch, for putting the seminar together.

In his welcome address ,Ohwovoriole noted that the seminar was designed for two groups of persons; the legal practitioners and persons with children, relatives, friends and societies, and hinted that it was arranged to refresh legal practitioners’ knowledge about Wills and Estate Planning. He commended the Deputy Governor for all his support and love towards him since his youth days.

Speaking at the occasion, the NBA Chairman, Asaba Branch, Oseyenim Chukwuma, said the knowledge acquired from the seminar would no doubt assist legal practitioners in the state in the course of doing their jobs.