Uncertainty. Unexpected loss.
For many, the three words above describe the roller coaster of 2020 and the effects of the pandemic on everyday life.
What next, and whom?
Such burning questions hang in the air. Unspoken, unanswered, and frightening. Thousands have fallen victim, including powerful Nigerians who seemed almost untouchable. Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to the President. Abiola Ajomobi, former Governor of Oyo State. Senator Bayo Osinowo, ‘Pepperito’. Ismaila Funtua, a former Nigerian statesman. May their souls rest in peace.
But. We just might have missed a glaring point.
Every one of us is at risk of the virus, in the same way that death is inevitable for all. Therefore, we must ask a different and probably more important question. One that will apply whether or not there is a pandemic.
“If all men must die, where is the hope for my legacy?”
In answering this question, we should all take a step back and think of the people and the legacy we treasure the most. That legacy lies in all that we fight for. It lies in our reason for waking up each day. It lies in the identity we will leave behind, and in what happens to our beloved family, community, and friends when we leave the scene.
Many of us are on track to securing the future and hope for that legacy. From the stash in the bank, to ownership of shares and stocks, investments, co-operative contributions, pension benefits, or other employment benefits such as Group Life Insurance, our daily struggles are paving the way for the gift of a secure future to those who will remain after us.
However, here is the shocker. Having these assets does not mean our loved ones can access them. The catch? Your loved ones, no matter how close they were to you, need a valid WILL to enjoy the benefits of your assets should you pass on.
Without a Will, everything you have worked for becomes difficult to access, if not impossible.
Imagine your loved ones in a drawn-out process to obtain Letters of Administration, which can sometimes take years to obtain. In the judicial matter of Ukeje v. Ukeje, it took the beneficiary 34 years to resolve issues concerning Letters of Administration so she could access her father’s properties. A Will, on the other hand, would simply ensure that your selected beneficiaries do not have to wait for years before they can enjoy access to the assets you worked so hard to provide.
Beyond access to your assets, a Will would explicitly state how you would prefer the distribution of your property. In the absence of a Will, estate management would revert to customs and tradition. Bear in mind that customs and tradition in this part of the world are notorious for handing a substantial part of your assets to extended family, leaving those close to your (formerly beating) heart high and dry – at the detriment of your spouse(s) and/or children.
Writing a Will is NOT a death wish. Instead, it is the only way to safeguard the future of the ones you love the most, in line with your deepest desires.
It is worth noting that many of those who have unexpectedly passed in the wake of this pandemic have left their families in a financial bind because they did not know the relevance of a Will. Those of us privileged to be alive would do well to avoid the same tragic mistake that has left loved ones destitute.
SAFEGUARDING YOUR LEGACY: HOW TO WRITE A WILL DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
Pandemic or not, you do not have to spend a second more than necessary in the uncertainty of living without a Will. Thanks to our solution for you, you can protect your loved ones today from the comfort of your home, offices or business place!
WILLPOWER is an online platform powered by UTL Trust Management Services Ltd, which allows you to write your Will seamlessly. You can create your Will RIGHT NOW by logging on to www.willpower.ng.
As we live our lives through the course of this pandemic, let us rest in the assurance of hope for our legacy, instead of fear.
Let your love for those that matter be evident. Do not procrastinate. Write your Will today!
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