floshady:
Hello house, happy Sunday to everyone. Am new to this thread am planning on building a 4 bedroom bungalow on a plot of land in otta and would like to ask if it is compulsory to have a certificate of occupancy. Or i can obtain other documents and carry on building without a C of O since I heard most people who build houses in Nigeria don’t own a C of O because of the stress that comes with owning one. Although I know the importance of owning one. Please I need answers and thanks to all for your reply.

Av u bought the land already. Ogun state government had introduced Home Chartered Ownership, having semblance and quality of C of O. C of O is expensive to Home Charter. Though the home charter is for a while. You can contact me for further explanation, I reside in Ota. 08068088866, Barr Ayo.

In Nigeria, one of the means by which a person can get a proper title to land is by obtaining Governor’s consent in respect of the land. The Land Use Act is the statute which regulates land and any transaction relating to it in Nigeria.

Section 22 of the Act provides that “it shall not be lawful for the holder of a statutory right of occupancy granted by the Governor to alienate his right of occupancy or any part thereof by assignment, mortgage, transfer of possession, sublease or otherwise howsoever without the earlier consent of the Governor first obtained. Usually, it is the duty of the holder of the right of occupancy to get the consent, but in practice this is left to the buyer. In Lagos, Nigeria, the country’s commercial nerve center, this practice has been embraced over the years. A burden usually conveniently passed to the buyer.


Obtaining Governor’s consent is a way of complying with the provisions of the statute and a way of protecting the legitimacy of the purchaser’s title to the land. Failure to get this consent can make the transfer of interest in the land null and void.


In conclusion, when the Governor’s consent is duly obtained by the seller after a transaction, it will serve two main purposes; as evidence of ownership, and there will also be security of his title.

Remember, that Governor's consent is not necessary in a situation where the land is not situated in urban areas. If it is in rural environment, the consent of the Local government is essential.

Barr Ayo: 08068088866

The Lagos State Chief Judge, has recently introduced and signed into law, a Small Claims Practice Direction to enable creditors recover their debts and sum wrongly deposited into another party's account. The objective of the small claims procedure is to provide easy access to an informal, inexpensive and speedy resolution of simple debt recovery disputes in the Magistrates’ Courts.

The said new law States that the entire period of proceedings from filing till judgment shall not exceed sixty (60) days) and for matters to come under this provisions it must have the following elements as stated. -

(a) The Claimant or one of the Claimants resides or carries on business in Lagos State;

(b) The Defendant or one of the Defendants resides or carries on business in Lagos State;

(c) The cause of action arose wholly or in part in Lagos State.

(d) The claim is for a liquidated monetary demand in a sum not exceeding N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira), excluding interest and costs.

(e) The Claimant has served on the Defendant, a LETTER OF DEMAND.

To institute a proceeding for debt recovery according to the Small Claims Practice Direction, one may a fill the Small Claims Complaint Form and file same at the Magistrate Court. For further information on how to take advantage of the new practice direction in recovering your debt, you may consult a lawyer or visit the Registry of the Magistrate Court.

Barr Ayo, treashproperties: 08068088866.

INTRODUCTORIES
At this stage parties (vendor (or agent) and purchaser) meet and discuss on the property: price, mode of payment, nature of vendor’s title etc. After parties have agreed on the purchase price a Contract of Sale Agreement is drawn up pending when the Purchaser would carry out investigation to deduce the nature of the Vendor’s title to ascertain that the property truly belongs to the Vendor and is free of any encumbrance.

At the point where the contract is exchanged the vendor is deemed to hold the land in trust for the purchaser till he pays, and all conditions therein fulfilled. The essence is to deduce a good root of title from the vendor. Until the execution of the contract of sale there is no obligation on the vendor to establish that he is the owner of the title which he intends to convey, but once the contract has been exchanged, he is under duty to do so. The Contract of Sale Agreement may include terms as agreed by parties. It is not unusual for parties to agree to a deposit on the total value of the property at this point pending the result of the investigation of title by the purchaser.

08068088866, Barr Ayo.

What you must know prior to, during and after purchase:

For many, buying a piece of land or real property is all about finding a vendor willing to sell and meeting the price for the property. Many people fall into the mistake of dealing with vendors of properties in trust, assuming that the fact that they have known one another for donkey years or the fact that an agent has assured them of good title is sufficient to avoid future troubles with respect to the land or real property.

It is of paramount importance to take certain steps prior to the purchase of land, during the course of purchase and even after the purchase has been made for the sake of securing ones interest in the said property. A willing purchase as a matter of importance must investigate the title of the vendor to the said land and in some cases the track record of such vendor in order to forestall any future legal issues.

To be continued.

Barr Ayo: 08068088866.

A lot of Land sale adverts and posts have swept off the internet by self acclaimed Estate agents and companies with juicy offers and cheap prices. In the circumstance, prospective buyers are in a bid to procure the land unverified. May i relate with you that once you make your payments, the estate companies with default land documents then move to the next available victims, leaving you to engage in unwarranted expensive court litigation.
Before you engage in a landed transaction, make sure you secure the attention and legal advice of a real estate solicitor to help in negotiation, search, verification, and probably proper execution of your final documents. Dont be appeased by a mere receipt as its inadmissible in court as a proof of title to land. Though the lawyer will charge his professional fees, but its quite unquantifiable to the subsequent loss you will incur on the entire land, when you have realised the land is fake.

For further enquiries, contact any of your lawyers or you can rather reach us on 08068088866.
Thank you. Its Barrister Ayo Aderinto, Nigeria.

Plots and acres of land for sale at Atan, Ota, Ogun state. #250,000 plot, not negotiable. 08068088866, Barr Ayo.

7 completed duplex for sale at Bogije, Ibeju lekki, off Ajah, Lagos State. Asking price is 130M, negotiable.
Title documents are: Deed of conveyance and registered survey plan. Contact me, Barr Ayo on 08068088866 for further enquiries. Pictures can be provided upon request.

A plot of land for sale at Ifo, Ogun State. #300,000, not negotiable. 08068088866, Barr Ayo.

1 plot of land for sale on Livingspring Estate, Obafemi-Owode, Ogun State. livingspring estate is located along Papalanto/Obafemi Owode/Ofada Road and is about 15 minutes drive from the Shagamu Inter-change. It is in close proximity to a host of other estates around Nestle.
Available documents include: Global C of O; Deed of Assignment and Approved Survey Plan. Asking price is #1,000,000.00, negotiable.
Contact me, the solicitor on 08068088866.

1. Dear married couples, there is no such legal personality known as "Mr and Mrs Okoro". You can only have "Mr Kenneth Okoro" or "Mrs Patricia Okoro". You might just be creating a legal problem for yourselves when you use "Mr and Mrs Okoro" to buy those goods or properties.

2. Dear married couples (especially those who are married under the Act), all things been equal, it is adviced that you change your next of kin to your spouse after wedding from your sibling or anybody else you used before wedding. Making your spouse your next of kin makes it easier for them to process any accrued benefit especially if either of you die intestate ( without leaving a will).

3. Dear intending couples, there are only two types of marriages recognised in Nigeria; 1.Marriage under the Act (Matrimonial Causes Act and Marriage Act), 2. Marriage not under the Act (Marriage under Islamic Law and Marriage Under Customary Law). The first is monogamous in nature while the latter is restricted polygamous and unrestricted polygamous in nature. For intending couples of the christian faith, there is no such thing as "church wedding". If your church is a "licensed place of worship", what they conduct there is a "Marriage under the Act". If your church is not a licensed place of worship and you only conducted customary marriage without going to the marriage registry, what they would have done in your church may just be a celebration and the blessing of your customary marriage.
If your church is a licensed place of worship, wedding in church and also going to the marriage regisrty are one and the same thing (Marriage Under the Act). Meaning a waste of resources and duplicity of purpose.

4. Dear Boyfriend and Girlfriend, promising your partner that you would marry them when you know you have no intention of doing so may give rise to a civil action of breach of promise to marry resulting in damages (compensation) and the restitution of all monies spent and gift given. It may also give rise to a criminal action of obtaining by false pretence.

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Kindly refer to Barr Ayo Adeolu Ayo on 08068088866 for other enquiries.