Under Yoruba customary law, family land is validly alienated when sold by the head of the family with the consent of the accredited representatives or principal…

Under Section 108 of the Evidence Act, a court has the power to compare disputed signatures with admitted signatures to determine authenticity, and an appellate court…

A party alleging forgery must plead it specifically with particulars and prove it; a finding of forgery without proper pleading and proof is perverse.

Evidence on a matter not pleaded cannot be received, even if extracted in cross-examination; such evidence goes to no issue.

When traditional histories of parties are divergent, the court should look to other evidence such as recent acts of possession; those in unchallenged possession exercising control…

In civil cases, the onus is always on the plaintiff to prove his case to the satisfaction of the trial court.

The distinction between special and general damages lies in pleading and proof; if the pleading shows how damages can be calculated and quantified upon strict proof,…

Costs are not awarded as a punitive measure but to meet the legitimate expenses of the successful party; an appellate court will be wary to interfere…

An appellate court does not try a case; it does not see or hear witnesses testify and therefore does not experience the nuances of seeing and…

No appellate court should disturb concurrent findings of fact unless those findings are perverse, based on a wrong proposition of law, inadmissible evidence, or no evidence…

The length of time it will take for a retrial to be concluded is not a relevant consideration when ordering a hearing de novo in a…

Identity of land becomes an issue only if the defendant specifically disputes the area, size, location, or boundaries as shown in the plaintiff's plan or described…