Who will be my next of kin?

Hi friends, I'm excited that you are coming around. Welcome to my blog. It's an interesting topic of discussion because of many untrue insinuations and misconceptions about the next of kin wahala, especially in my country, Nigeria. @okere-blessing, thank you for bringing this topic as it is poised to enlighten so many of us here. Like I used to say, Steemit is not just about content writing, it's a place where we also learn from myriads of topics we usually discuss casually on our own.

link

I remember while I was travelling to Kaduna some years back to see a friend of mine then, my parents were not aware of my travel. While filling out the bus manifest (traveller's record at the park), I filled my younger sister as my next of kin in the book. I've always used her most times because she lives in the city with me, she knows almost everything about me, and she can quickly take action in a case of emergency on my behalf even before my parents get to know.

From my explanation above, next of kin is someone people can quickly reach out to on your behalf in a case of emergency. It could be about health, trouble, money or anything whatsoever. That is to say that the person is very close to you and may provide some information about you that others may not know.

Next of kin can also be someone who is accessible whenever you are in need of such a person. Most times, it is usually people from our immediate family, like a spouse, siblings, or it could be a very close friend and maybe a member of the extended family.

link

It is important to have next of kin, but let's get this fact. Next of kin is not about inheritance or someone who'll inherit your riches when you're gone. Next of kin, like I've explained, is someone who can be reached when you're in an emergency situation. It is important because we don't pray for mishaps. If it eventually happens, you need someone close that people can contact immediately to be with you or provide your information to them.

Yes. I'm saying yes, because your next of kin should be someone who knows a lot about you. Before someone can know much about a person, he/she must have been very close to you to be able to know much about you. Like I've mentioned above, next of kin are usually members of one's immediate family, close friends or someone from the extended family who is very close to the person. Acceptably, next of kin should be someone who is closely related by blood to the person.

link

For me, next of kin can be changed if the person is not trustworthy. Like if he/she cannot manage your personal information, or maybe he cannot manage some emergency news or situations, as the case may be.

Another way next of kin can be changed is maybe if the person is not accessible. Like I mentioned in the case of my younger sister, who lives in the same city as me, she can take swift action if I should run into an emergency. Imagine if I used my parents, who are in the village, as my next of kin, and I am in the city. If anything should happen, maybe I have a health issue, they may not be able to meet up in order to help me. Sometimes, their phone numbers may not even go through due to poor network there. It's better to choose next of kin from people who are close to you, available and accessible.

Next of kin can also be changed if the person is late, there's no need still maintaining such a person, no need to transfer it to the person's children, it's not an entitlement.

link

Next of kin should not be chosen with the intention that he/she will take your inheritance after the person is dead. As an individual, just because you're the next of kin to your father doesn't mean that you're the only one who is eligible to take his inheritance. It is only one's 'will' (written documents) that the owner of the inheritance had written while he/she was alive that can state who should inherit any part of anyone's inheritance, not from being one's next of kin.

If you're next of kin, just know that you're a contact of the person who chose you in a case of emergency. You're not the one to inherit his/her properties or inheritance.

I'm inviting @afrinn, @zulbahri and @nsisong2022