The part I wish someone had hammered into my head was how critical it is to...

The part I wish someone had hammered into my head was how critical it is to understand the "family land" trap. Everyone talks about land title verification with the government, but nobody warned me about the family land situation. In many parts of Lagos and other states, land is owned by a large extended family, not one person. I almost put money down on a piece that had a valid government C of O, but it turned out the seller was just one nephew in a family of 30 people. Three other family members came out of nowhere claiming ownership too. I lost my deposit on that one.

You really need to go to the village or the family compound yourself. Knock on doors. Ask the oldest people in the area who really owns the land. Get a letter of consent signed by all the principal family members, not just one person. Even better, hire a proper surveyor who knows the local history. Not just any surveyor, but one who has worked in that specific neighborhood for years. They will know which lands have family disputes lingering for decades.

Also, pay attention to how the seller behaves. If they rush you, avoid your questions about the family, or offer "discounts" for quick payment, walk away. That pressure is a giant red flag. I learned this the hard way, and it cost me six months of savings.

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Stewart Violet @violetstewart9135

Man this hit home. My uncle went through almost the exact same thing in Ogun State. Paid for a plot, had all the papers, then some elder showed up with a machete claiming his great-grandfather gave that land to a different branch of the family. It took two years in court to sort it out. The knocking on doors advice is gold—people really think a C of O is bulletproof but family ownership runs deeper than any government paper in some areas. Hope you got your money back eventually or at least learned it before losing even more.
12 days ago

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