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Next-Of-Kin

Published

5 years ago

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Next-of-kin is a title that can be given, by you, to anyone from your partner to blood relatives and even friends. It can also be defined as someone who is chosen by a person to provide the necessary information about the person when the person who chooses him or her becomes readily unavailable or when the person is in the situation that deprives the person the opportunity of providing vital information for him or herself.
In the case of Joseph V. Fajemilehin O. O. & Anor (12012) LPEL 9849 (CA) the court said thus, “let it be placed on record that the term Next-of-Kin can be used in three senses. Firstly, it can be used to simply refer to the nearest blood relative or secondly, the person who is to be notified in the case of any eventualities of life such as accident, emergency or death, secondly, he may be required to make medical decisions, such as providing information or consent for a person who is in capacitated, or thirdly the term can be used to refer to an heir.”
It must be noted clearly that appointing a next-of-kin is not a substitute to making a valid will. This is so, because when a person dies testate (i.e the person made a valid Will), the matter of next-of-kin is of no relevance. The estate of the deceased is distributed strictly according to the Will. In a situation where the deceased dies intestate (i.e. without making a valid Will), the question of the distribution of his estate is governed by the law.
The Customary Law/Islamic Law or the Administration of Estate Law will apply depending on the kind of marriage contracted by the deceased. In other words, if the deceased contracted a statutory marriage, the distribution of his estate shall be governed by either the English Law or the Administration of Estate Law. See Obuzez V. Obuzez (2007) 10 NWLR (PT 1043) 430. It must be noted that the Administration of Estate Law provides for the order of inheritance, which must be complied with strictly and a next-of-kin is not among the categories of those entitled to inheritance in this instance.
There is nothing special about next-of-kin as far as succession is concerned. Because next-of-kin does not confer the right of inheritance on the person so named. Under the Nigerian law of intestate succession, one cannot choose his heir under the pretext of next-of-kin, since the act of naming a next-of-kin does not amount to testamentary disposition. Succession is regulated by law. It is only those entitled by law to inherit a deceased person’s estate that can do so. A next-of-kin is not one of such persons. However, this is without prejudice to his right to inherit on a personal ground. Thus, if the person so named as a next-in-kin is the son or daughter of the deceased, he/she is entitled to inherit, not as a next-of-kin, but because he is the legitimate child of the deceased. Also, if the person so named as a next-of-kin, is also named in a valid Will made by the deceased, he/she is entitled to an inheritance not because he/she is a next-of-kin, rather because, he/she is named in the Will.

By: Nkechi Bright-Ewere

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City Crime

RSG Ready For 2030 Digital Transformation

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2 months ago

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October 27, 2025

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The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State  Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Akani, has said the State Government was set to meet up the 2030 target of the Federal Government towards the actualization of digital economy.
Akani said this at the Rivers State Sensitization Workshops on The Adoption of Nigeria Start-up Act and National Digital Literacy framework (NDLF), in Port Harcourt, weekend.
She noted that the State was ready for both the adoption and domestication of the Act.
According to her, up to 90-95% preparation have been fully covered by the state in readiness to welcoming the digital economy Act.
“Stakeholders talked about adoption and domestication of the Act, it was fruitful. The draft has been sent to the government”, she said.
She also noted that the move was in line with the digital transformation plan of the state and the country at large.
The Convener, Start South, Mr. Uche Aniche, who made case for full ICT Ministry for the state, said such will command the needed growth in the system.
Aniche stated that until they attained the lofty height, all about Tech-knowledge and growth may not fall in place as expected.
Other tech-operators, such as the Code Garden Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wilfred Wegwu, who welcomed the idea, said it must be done in the nearest future.
Wegwu noted that technology has taken over the world at present, adding that government at all levels needed to key into the system.
He also stated that the system play major roles in various spheres of life, including relationships and collaboration.
He also revealed that the system now was up to forth Industrial Revolution (4IR), according to global shift ranking.
It will be recalled that the State Government has recently ordered to construct ICT centres across the 23 Local Government Area of the state in order to meet up the yearnings of the technology world.
By: King Onunwor
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City Crime

Industry Braces For Glut And Investor Demands

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3 months ago

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September 29, 2025

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The oil and gas industry is in for a tough year ahead, as it must balance financial discipline, shareholder returns, and long-term investments in the sustainability of the business—while navigating a hypothetical glut.
The warning comes from Wood Mackenzie, which said in a new report that the industry was faced with conflicting trends over the next year that would make decision-making challenging. Among these is an expectation that the market would tip into an oversupply, pressuring prices, while the demand outlook for oil over the long term brightens up, motivating more investments.
“Oil and gas companies are caught between competing pressures as they plan for 2026. Near-term price downside risks clash with the need to extend hydrocarbon portfolios into the next decade. Meanwhile, shareholder return of capital and balance sheet discipline will constrain reinvestment rates,” Wood Mackenzie’s senior vice president of corporate research, Tom Ellacott, said.
The executive added that investors would also influence decisions, as they continue to prioritize short-term returns over long-term investments. This last part, at least, is not unusual in the current investment environment across industries. It could, however, make life even more difficult for oil and gas companies for a while.
The glut that Wood Mackenzie analysts expect is the same glut that the International Energy Agency has been expecting for a while now. Yet that very same International Energy Agency earlier this month issued a warning on the longer-term security of global oil supply, saying the industry needed to step up investment in new production because natural depletion at mature fields was progressing faster than previously assumed.
Per the report, if the industry has to maintain current levels of oil and gas production, more than 45 million barrels per day of oil and around 2,000 billion cu m of natural gas would be needed in 2050 from new conventional fields. It’s worth noting that this is maintenance of current production levels, assuming demand will not rise, which is a risky assumption.
Even with projects ramping up and new ones approved for development and not yet in production, a large gap still exists “that would need to be filled by new conventional oil and gas projects to maintain production at current levels, although the amounts needed could be reduced if oil and gas demand were to come down,” the IEA said.
However, demand could just as well increase, heightening the degree of uncertainty in the industry and making long-term planning even more challenging—especially for companies with higher debt-to-equity ratios. Wood Mackenzie expects those with gearing of above 35% would prioritise resilience over long-term growth, while those with better debt positions would turn to divestments and asset acquisitions to improve the quality of their portfolio.
Share buybacks will also remain on the oil industry’s table as a favorite tool for making shareholders happy, although, Wood Mac notes, these tend to dry up when oil slips below $50 per barrel. Interestingly, the analytics company does not seem to factor into its analysis a scenario where prices might go up instead of down, especially now that President Trump has signaled he would be willing to step up pressure on Russia to bring a swifter end to the war in Ukraine.
If prices do rise, for whatever reason, including failure of the massive 3-million-bpd glut that the IEA predicted to materialize, then the immediate outlook for the oil and gas industry becomes different—but not too different. Companies have already demonstrated they would not return to their old ways of splurging when times were good and tightening belts when times were bad. They would likely stick to spending caution and shareholder return prioritization, regardless of prices.
By Irina Slav
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City Crime

ECN Commences 7MW Solar Power Project In AKTH

Published

3 months ago

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September 22, 2025

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As a landmark intervention designed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), has commenced a 7MW solar power project at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH)
The project is the outcome of ECN’s comprehensive energy audit and strategic planning, which exposed the unsustainable cost of diesel and the risks associated with AKTH’s dependence on the national grid.
Working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology under the coordinating leadership of Chief Uche Nnaji, the ECN planned and executed this critical project to secure the hospital’s energy future.
The Director – General, ECN, Dr. Mustapha Abullahi, said “the timing of this intervention could not be more crucial” recalling that only days ago, AKTH suffered prolonged power outages that tragically claimed lives in its Intensive Care Unit.
“That painful incident has strengthened our resolve. With this solar installation, we are ensuring that such tragedies are prevented in the future and that critical medical services can operate without fear of disruption”.
Abdullahi stated that the project is a clear demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in action and reflects ECN’s commitment to making Nigeria’s energy transition people-centered, where hospitals, schools, and other essential institutions thrive on reliable, clean, and sustainable power.
The ECN boss further reaffirmed ECN’s commitment to continued deployment of innovative energy solutions across the nation.
“This is not just about powering institutions; it is about saving lives, restoring confidence, and securing a brighter future for Nigerians”, he stated.
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