The Land That Wasn’t Hers

It sounds almost outrageous when successful women are overlooked or questioned simply because they don’t have spouses, especially in this part of the world. All her achievements seem irrelevant simply because of the absence of a ring on her middle finger. But often, very little is mentioned about the women who seem to have it all, the man, the children, the titles and yet cannot lay claim to their achievements because as the Akan adage goes “when a woman buys a gun, it stays in the man’s room”. For Dr Stephany, it goes beyond a saying. It is her reality and an experience that was pushed on her by the people she trusted - one of them, the person who put the ring on her middle finger.

Dr. Stephany Adongo had always been a woman ahead of her time. A respected academic at one of the universities in Ghana. She embodied the aspirations of countless young girls who dared to dream of breaking barriers and the glass ceiling. But behind the success, accolades and degrees, lay a story of heartbreak, and a battle for something as basic as ownership, a struggle that would come to define her in the years that followed.

After 15 years of marriage, Dr. Stephany’s life took an unexpected turn when her husband married another woman. Soon after his marriage to the new wife, he filed for divorce. The fallout was more than just emotional, it became a financial and legal battle. Among the complications in the divorce proceedings was four (4) plots of land Dr Stephany had purchased with her own money during the marriage, a piece of property she envisioned as a safe, stable place for her children. To her shock and dismay, her husband sought to claim ownership of the land and other properties she had acquired independently. To Dr. Stephany, the land represented more than just a physical asset; it was a symbol of her independence, hard work and self-sufficiency, and she was determined to protect it.

She had paid for the land out of her own business account, the money she had worked hard to earn. Yet when she tried to reclaim ownership of the land, the backlash was swift and fierce. Family members, colleagues, and even fellow women in her community all steeped in cultural norms, came together to question why she would claim something that "wasn’t hers." It was a moment of throwing herself to people to chew and pour out because it almost felt like a crime, but she went through with it.

"Why are you sending him to court?" they asked, their disbelief evident. "Why fight over something like land after all these years?" Their words dripped with the assumption that women should not and could not own land, especially not after a divorce. In their eyes, the land belonged to her ex-husband, even though Dr. Stephany had purchased it herself.

The situation took a more complex turn when Dr. Stephany revealed that, though she had paid for the land, her husband had registered it in his name. Attempts to have the registration changed, to have her rightful ownership reflected in the legal documents, proved futile. Every attempt to have the title transferred to her name was met with resistance. The husband, determined to retain control over the land, refused to cooperate. He continued to argue that the land belonged to him, even though the funds used to purchase it had come directly from Dr. Stephany's business, a business she solely started and managed.

The ridicule and verbal attacks she endured became a form of emotional violence - an unrelenting, public humiliation meant to undermine her independence and worth.

She was labeled defiant, ungrateful, litigant, unworthy etc. She became the victim of a deeply entrenched belief system that often reduces even the most accomplished women to second-class citizens. But her battle was about more than just the land. It was about the right of women to own property, to claim what is rightfully theirs, and to be recognized as equals in a society that so often seeks to downplay women’s worth.

The societal backlash against Dr. Stephany is not an isolated case; it reflects a deeply ingrained cultural narrative that persists in many parts of Africa. In societies where traditional practices dominate, women are often denied ownership of property, especially land. The sad part is, in some communities, women are not allowed to inherit their father’s property. The logic, rooted in outdated traditions, is painfully simple: Women will marry and move to their husbands’ homes, so why should they inherit their father’s property? This system, built on patriarchal values, denies women agency and hinders their ability to build wealth, achieve economic independence, and make decisions for their lives.

The Larger Implication

Dr. Stephany’s story is one of many that highlight the systemic and widespread gender inequalities that women face, not only in Ghana but across Africa. The struggle for land ownership is a microcosm of the broader battle for gender equality. When a woman cannot own land or inherit property, it limits her ability to participate fully in the economy and society. This exclusion has far-reaching consequences. It affects everything from economic growth to education and health.

This issue also ties into the global development agenda, particularly the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 5 (Gender Equality) calls for the full participation of women in economic life, including access to property rights. Yet, when cultural norms prevent women from owning property, the pathway to achieving gender equality becomes more difficult.

Similarly, SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) are impacted by the systemic denial of women’s property rights. When women are denied access to land and resources, they are kept in poverty, which, in turn, hinders progress toward economic development.

The Real Deal: Individual and Collective Action

We’ve made strides in policy. Laws have been passed, and affirmative actions have been championed to address gender inequality. But laws alone can’t dismantle mindsets. The real deal is individual and collective action.

Every man who challenges the status quo by treating his wife or daughter as an equal partner moves the needle. Every woman who refuses to accept cultural norms that diminish her worth pushes us forward. And every community that values inclusion over exclusion lays the foundation for a fairer, stronger society. To women, be vigilant in any form of relationship and look ahead of the time. Like Dr Stephany, she had documents and evidence to show to reclaim her property. She went through ups and downs; people were brought to make false testimonies against her. But in the end, her documented evidence paved a way for her victory.? The property was handed over to her as the rightful owner.

Laws may give women the right to own property, but it is the collective actions of society, family members, communities, institutions and women themselves that can either uphold or deny those rights. We must all recognize that gender equality is not just about changing the laws, but about changing attitudes, behaviours, and the very way we view women’s place in society.

This year’s theme for the 16 Days of Activism - “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls” - couldn’t be more fitting. But investment isn’t just financial; it’s also about time, effort, and courage. It’s about men and women alike standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Imagine a world where daughters inherit their fathers’ lands, where divorced women reclaim what they rightfully own, and where every woman feels empowered to contribute to her community. That world isn’t a utopia, it’s within reach.

This is not just about land or property; it’s about justice, dignity, and the unyielding belief that women deserve a seat at every table, including those that define ownership and opportunity. When we empower women like Dr. Stephany, we don’t just uplift individuals; we fortify our communities and nations against the forces of poverty, inequality, and underdevelopment.

Let her story be a beacon of hope and a rallying cry for action. We must dare to envision and create a society where women’s rights are not privileges but fundamental truths. A society where equality is not an aspiration but a lived reality. A society where every woman, like Dr. Stephany, can stand and declare, “This land is mine.” We need to be intentional. We need to unite. And we need to invest in a society where violence and inequality have no place.