Dear GhanaWeb: Can a woman write a will without involving her husband?

Dear GhanaWeb,

I am a 32-year-old man and have been married for three years. My wife is 28 years old and is financially better off than I am.

She is an only child from a wealthy family, and after the demise of her parents, she inherited all their properties.

Through hard work, she has since doubled those assets. We have one daughter, who is three years old.

We got married shortly after her delivery. My wife is very supportive and plays her role as a wife and mother exceptionally well.

Last year, she was diagnosed with cancer. She initially kept this from me, but I found out after coming across her medical results while searching for a document.

When I confronted her, she explained that she did not want me to feel sorry for her or stay with her out of pity.

She said she had been told she had less than a year to live and only wanted to enjoy her remaining time and be happy.

Our daughter has a nanny, but we make a conscious effort to spend quality time with her after work.

Since learning about her condition, my love and care for my wife have deepened. I ensured she was comfortable at all times and even hired an additional house help to reduce her workload.

I suggested she take a break from work or work from home, but she declined, saying she wanted to personally supervise her staff, and I respected her decision.

About a month ago, I noticed she had been meeting frequently with her lawyer, both at home and elsewhere. Initially, I was not concerned, but the frequency of the meetings made me curious.

When I asked her about it, she said she was finalising some business deals that required legal assistance. I wasn’t entirely convinced but chose not to push further.

My wife has one close friend whom we are both familiar with. I decided to speak with her, and during a casual outing where we had drinks, she revealed something that shocked me.

She said my wife had confided in her that she was preparing a will with her lawyer, knowing she might not survive her illness.

According to her friend, my wife intends to leave all her properties to our daughter and does not plan to include me. She reportedly said that I am a grown man who can take care of myself, while our daughter is her blood and should inherit everything.

When I confronted my wife, she did not deny it. She explained that she believes it is only fair to leave everything to our daughter.

This has left me confused and deeply hurt. We love each other, so I don’t understand why she would completely exclude me.

I was under the impression that wills were mostly written by men, but perhaps I am mistaken. I am not well-versed in these matters and have many questions.

Can a woman legally write a will without involving her husband? If she passes away, does that mean I will struggle to care for our child until she is old enough to inherit everything?

I would appreciate some guidance and advice on this matter.

FG/EB

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