LAND LAW — Title to Land — Recognised Methods of Proving Title to Land
Principle Statement
Ownership of land may be proved by: (i) traditional evidence; (ii) production of authenticated documents of title; (iii) acts of selling, leasing, renting, or farming; (iv) proof of possession of connected or adjacent land.
Ratio Decidendi (Source)
Per Onu, JSC, in Ashiru v. Olukoya (2006) NLC-123-356-2001(SC) at p. 7; Paras B–D.
"Ownership of land may be proved in any of the following ways: (i) By traditional evidence (ii) By production of documents of title which are duly authenticated; (iii) By acts of selling, leasing, renting out all or part of the land, or farming on it or on a portion thereof (iv) By proof of possession of connected or adjacent land in circumstances rendering it probable that the owner of such connected or adjacent land would, in addition be the owner of the land in dispute."
Explanation / Scope
Four recognized methods of proving title to land. The principle applies to land law.
