Victoria Osanyinpeju
Land Grabs and Legal Empowerment in Lagos, Nigeria
This summer, I will be traveling to Lagos, Nigeria to continue research on Dr. Ferme’s project on the ways in which the large-scale acquisition of land by private actors, or “land grabs”, creates lasting implications for indigenous peoples and the “Legal Empowerment” movement in West Africa. I will be researching the market in land plots in regions surrounding the Lagos Metropolitan Area in Southwest Nigeria and working to understand ancestral land ownership and current land title registration. I will also be observing the role of international aid agencies and civil society institutions in the country to understand their relationship with their Nigerian counterparts that are currently working to use the law to empower communities in the “Legal Empowerment” movement. Utilizing historical archives, anthropological databases, and official cadastral records, I hope to establish a comprehensive understanding of the changing legal and land rights landscape in Nigeria.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for enabling me to have such a fulfilling experience. With your support, I was able to travel to Lagos, Nigeria and conduct research in my family's hometown. I am so grateful for your support, and I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.