Colonialism, Land Commercialisation and its Implications for Access and Usage: A study in Historical Sociology

Abstract

This article examines the changing land tenure systems and housing development in Ibadan from the precolonial to the postcolonial period. It aims to shed light on the historical transformations that have occurred in land ownership and administrations, as well as the consequences for housing development. The paper draws insight from Demsetz’s evolutionary theory of property rights which explains the process of transition of communal land tenure to modern property rights system where titling is the main feature of land ownership. With the aid of multiple-sourced data such as review of seminar works, archival documents and in-depth interviews (with selected traditional masons, known as oloomo in local parlance) the authors present a reconstruction of the process of transformation of land tenure systems and housing development in Ibadan. The paper found that transformation of land ownership systems from community ownership to modern property right has been a convoluted journey, shaped by historical, political, and socio-economic factors. Given the importance of land to housing, the paper recommends that there is a need to strike a balance between private property rights and communal land management. This may entail recognizing the importance of traditional land tenure practices while also establishing clear legal frameworks that protect individual ownership rights and promote sustainable housing development. Hence, as our society continues to grapple with land issues, it is imperative to prioritize equitable access, tenure security, and the incorporation of traditional practices in order to foster a more just and access for all.