The ultimate act of love: Securing your children’s future

My dear readers, let me ask you a question, woman to woman.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, looked at your sleeping children, and felt a knot of worry in your stomach? You pray for them, you work hard for them, but have you taken that one crucial step to protect them if, God forbid, you’re no longer here to do it yourself? I’m talking about writing a Will or having a trust fund or a life insurance policy?

I know, I know. Traditionally, this is seen as “man’s work.” In our mothers’ and grandmothers’ time, the thought of a woman drafting a Will or having a trust fund or a life insurance policy for her children was almost unheard of. The man was the head, the provider, the one who handled all the “serious” matters of property and inheritance. Women were expected to be caregivers, the heart of the home, but not necessarily the architect of its legal and financial future.

But abeg, let’s be real. This is 2025. The Nigerian woman of today is a force of nature! We are not just caregivers; we are doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, traders in Balogun market, and CEOs of our own companies. We are building empires from our kitchen tables with just a smartphone and a data plan. We are buying land, investing in stocks, and contributing significantly—sometimes even primarily—to the family pot. Our financial independence is not just a slogan; it’s a reality we have worked and prayed for.

With this new reality comes a new responsibility. We are more educated and more aware than ever before. We’ve all heard the horror stories, haven’t we? The stories of a beloved sister or friend who passes away, and before her body is even cold, distant relatives—the ones you haven’t seen in ten years—suddenly appear, laying claim to her property. We’ve seen children left confused and uncared for, and husbands left to fight battles with in-laws, all because nothing was put down in writing. That kind of wahala is not our portion, but wisdom is profitable to direct.

This is why more of us are stepping up. Writing a Will or having a trust fund or a life insurance policy, isn’t about being bossy or trying to control your husband. It’s a partnership. It’s about sitting down together and saying, “Oya, my love, let’s plan for our children’s future, together.”

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When you take the initiative to write a Will or having a trust fund or a life insurance policy, you are doing several powerful things. You are bringing clarity. You get to decide who will raise your children with your values, not leaving it to chance or family arguments. You are protecting your loved ones from financial hardship and ensuring the assets you’ve both worked so hard for go to them.

Think of the peace of mind it brings. Knowing that you have a legally binding document that secures your family’s future is a comfort that money cannot buy. It minimizes the potential for the kind of family palaver that can tear people apart. Most importantly, it is an act of ultimate empowerment. It is you, in your full capacity as a wife, mother, and individual, taking control and showing the highest form of love—the love that protects even in your absence.

The stereotype of the passive woman who leaves everything to her husband is fading, and for good reason. We are forging a new path. So, I ask you again, my sister. For your children, for your husband, and for your own peace of mind, will you write a Will or having a trust fund or a life insurance policy for your children/beneficiaries?

Let me know your thoughts. I’m just an email away.