The Role of Customary Law in Land Dispute Resolution in Enugu State: A Case Study of Igbo Communities

This study examines the continuing relevance of customary law in resolving land disputes within Igbo communities of Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Land remains a central socioeconomic asset in Nigerian society, and disputes over land ownership and inheritance have increased significantly in recent years due to urbanisation, population growth, and competing statutory frameworks. Despite the formal recognition of statutory land law under the Land Use Act of 1978, customary law continues to operate as a primary dispute resolution mechanism in many rural and semi-urban communities. This research adopts a descriptive and qualitative methodology, drawing on primary data collected through structured interviews with traditional rulers, community elders, and legal practitioners in three selected communities within Enugu State. Secondary data is sourced from recent judicial decisions, legal texts, and government policy documents published between 2019 and 2024. The findings indicate that customary land tenure systems remain deeply embedded in community practice, often functioning parallel to statutory processes. The study also identifies tensions arising from gender discrimination in customary inheritance rules, particularly affecting widows and female children. Recommendations are made for legislative reforms that integrate equitable customary principles with constitutional guarantees of non-discrimination. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on legal pluralism in Nigeria and offers practical policy insights for state-level land administration authorities. Keywords: customary law, land disputes, Enugu State, legal pluralism, Land Use Act.