Land grab and conflicts in colonial Southeastern Nigeria, (1830-1960)

Abstract

Studies of land grab in Africa are growing. However, there are noticeable gaps in its treatment. The historical garb of current land grab has received scant attention in the literature. This is because emerging studies present land grab as the result of recent food and climate crises. Although a few studies liken incipient land grab to colonial land appropriation, discussions on the theme remain obscure. This paper situates land grab in the colonial context. It captures the efforts of colonial authorities to resolve the land question it created on the eve of colonialism through administrative measures and a range of incoherent land policies. Rather than resolve the land question, the policies further complicated and promoted land grab and conflicts in colonial Southeastern Nigeria.