The first son (Opara, Okpara), owns the Obi. Obi in modern language, is Parlor or sitting room. In ancient time, the Obi, is not incorporated into the house but stands alone and often had a small room. The other children, inherit their mother’s hut, until they are man enough to build their own hut on the parcel of land given to them by their father.
Where the father didn’t have enough to share, after the Opara had taken the Obi, the compound, will be fractured into the number of male children if he had one wife.
If more than one, the compound, would be shared into two but the Obi won’t.
The farm land, is shaped equally among the male children or divided into two, depending on the type of marriage and nothing is given to the girl children.
Girls were excluded, because it was inconceivable that a girl will marry and bring her husband home to live in her father’s compound, even if she becomes a widow, she would be entitled to nothing as she was expected to remain in her husband’s village and train the children of the marriage…..Seê _ Morê
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