THE CURRENT POSITION ON ADMISSIBILITY OF UNREGISTERED TITLE DOCUMENTS: A REVIEW OF THE DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT IN ABDULLAHI V. ADETUTU

Abstract

Generally, as a matter of principle, once a document is pleaded and relevant it is admissible. Although, the issue of admissibility is governed by the Evidence Act, which is a Federal Legislation, any document or evidence admissible under the Evidence Act can be rendered inadmissible by the State Law, according to a plethora of cases decided by the Supreme Court.
This review will reveal that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the case of Abdullahi v Adetutu on the admissibility of unregistered title documents is the correct and true positon of the law. Furthermore, it seeks to lay to rest the issue on whether the provisions of existing State laws are inconsistent with the Evidence Act as stated by the Court in the case of Benjamin v Kalio, or whether the Evidence Act recognises the fact that, indeed another law can affect the admissibility of a document.

Written by:

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN

Mr. Oyetola Muyiwa Atoyebi, SAN is one of the most notable professional Nigerian lawyer, who has distinguished himself in his professional sphere within the country and internationally. He is the youngest in the history of Nigeria to be elevated to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. At age 34, he was conferred with the prestigious rank in September, 2019. Mr. O.M. Atoyebi, SAN can be characterized as a diligent, persistent, resourceful, reliable and humble individual who presents a charismatic and structured approach to solving problems and also an unwavering commitment to achieving client’s goals. His hard work and dedication to his client’s objectives sets him apart from his peers.

As the Managing Partner of O.M. Atoyebi, SAN & Partners, also known as OMAPLEX Law Firm, he is the team leader of the Emerging Areas of Practice of the Firm and one of the leading Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Local Content Law, where he has worked with various key industry stakeholders and successfully facilitated transactions in the Oil & Gas and Energy Sector. He has a track record of being diligent and he ensures that the same drive and zeal is put into all matters handled by the Firm.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN.
THE CURRENT POSITION ON ADMISSIBILITY OF UNREGISTERED TITLE DOCUMENTS: A REVIEW OF THE DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT IN ABDULLAHI V. ADETUTU was last modified: September 10th, 2020 by Omaplex