A will will secure your loved ones' future

There was a big fracas on my TikTok timeline this week. A popular Latin American TikTok content creator had died and there was drama at his funeral.

The late man was apparently still legally married to his ‘ex’, although he was in a long-term relationship with his current girlfriend. The drama unfolded at the funeral when the family of the deceased, the wife and girlfriend squabbled over inheritance.

While the people were at the funeral, some relatives were busy looting the house of its material things, forcing the girlfriend and her children to leave the funeral early. Many wondered why this famous social media personality did not put his affairs in order after he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

Graveside squabbles are more common than we acknowledge. Whenever a wealthy person dies, the crowd sits back to watch the family of the deceased descend on the wealth like a pack of hungry vultures, fighting for a wealth they neither contributed to nor are entitled to. Inheritance disputes are more common in polygamous families and families without any offsprings.

Although different religions and cultures have played an important role in matters of inheritance, it is more straightforward and binding for one to draw up a will. A will reduces the chances of disagreements and fights that can occur within a family because of inheritance. A last will and testament informs the family of the deceased's last wishes and proclamations.

In most instances, a will will resolve any underlying disputes about inheritance, forcing the family to adhere to the deceased’s last wishes. However, sometimes wills can be contested and (albeit rarely) overruled in a court of law.

Inheritance squabbles are a common occurrence in African communities mostly because of polygamy and lack of wills. We have seen several high-profile families fighting each other in public because of wealth. The unfortunate few have even made the news! Some even go as far as physically attacking each other or even killing each other because of inheritance.

For whatever reason, our people are not big on formalising their last wishes on paper. They leave it up to culture or religion to determine the division of wealth. This almost always never ends well for those involved. Whenever money or wealth is concerned, things are likely to get out of hand. We are all aware of the age-old saying that money changes people.

The greed borne out of desire to become rich out of a dead relative’s wealth forces people to do ugly things. Even those who know they are not entitled to inherit anything will use their relationship with the deceased as grounds to inherit something. There are those who rob homes while people are at the funeral, others hide or change property titles just to keep them from the rest, and still others try to collude with lawyers for their own interests.

Meanwhile, those who firmly believe in the power of the will make things easier for the people they leave behind. They divide their assets according to what they feel is right and name whomever they choose.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my deceased neighbour. Other than the couple of visits from his successor who came to clear some personal items, the rest of the house remains untouched. I often wonder if the same were to happen in my community, I would have seen all kinds of dramas unfolding from my window. Somebody would have carried out the couch, another would have raided the house for valuables or worse still, the house would definitely have someone living in it by now.

Alas, the old man seems to have written a will that is clear as day. And whoever inherited it doesn’t seem to be defined by the sudden gain. They don't need to rush to secure the house nor strip it of its valuables. Wouldn't it be great if all matters of inheritance were this smooth?