Estate surveyors seek laws to curb land grabbing in Osun

The Osun State Branch Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, ESV Olusola Jibril Adebiyi, has called for urgent government intervention to tackle the menace of land grabbers, popularly known as “Omo onile”, in the state.

Adebiyi made this call while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of the commencement of activities to mark the NIESV 2026 Valuation Day held in Osogbo on Tuesday with the theme: “Unlocking Nigeria’s Wealth: How Valuation Builds Our Prosperity”.

Stressing the need for both state and federal governments to enact policies and laws to curb the trend, he said, “When it comes to landed property, the menace of Omonile is still a factor in Nigeria. That is what we experience in these days of a monetised economy.”

Explaining the origin of the practice, he noted that disputes often arise from lands previously acquired by government, with compensation paid decades ago to original owners.

“The descendants, the younger ones of such families, will now come up claiming entitlement to land genuinely acquired by government from their forefathers,” he said.

He added that the practice had escalated into extortion, with individuals invading construction sites and demanding payments from developers and investors.

The NIESV chairman emphasised that legislative action was necessary to address the situation and discourage unprofessional practices in land transactions and also called on traditional rulers and community leaders to take responsibility in addressing the issue within their domains.

“So we need government intervention in this regard. Both state and federal governments need to create enabling policies and make laws that will restrict this menace and curb the bad habit we find in our midst,” he said.

“The obas and chiefs equally have a role to play. If the communities take the bull by the horns and do the needful, in collaboration with government, this bad habit can be stopped,” he added.

Speaking on the significance of Valuation Day, Adebiyi said the event was aimed at sensitising the public on the importance of engaging certified estate surveyors and valuers.

He expressed concern that many property owners still prefer to deal with unqualified agents rather than licensed professionals.

“The essence of today’s programme is to sensitise the public to know the difference between non-professionals, called quacks, and the real professionals licensed to practise estate surveying and valuation in Nigeria,” he said.

He warned that individuals not certified by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria, ESVARBON, remain unqualified to carry out valuation services, regardless of their educational background.

“Lawyers are not exempt. No matter how learned you are, if you are not licensed by ESVARBON, you are still a quack,” he said.

In his remarks, the immediate past chairman of the Osun NIESV, ESV Adedoye Adekunle, said the annual Valuation Day was designed to highlight the role of professionals in property management.

He noted that the initiative also aims to discourage the patronage of quacks, whom he blamed for unethical practices and inflated housing costs.

“There is a big difference between estate surveyors and valuers and estate agents. We are professionally trained and regulated by the board,” Adekunle said.

He added that members of the profession operate under strict ethical standards, warning that any erring practitioner risks losing their licence, stamp and seal.

Also speaking, Dr Olusegun Omisore, Director of Lands at the Osun State Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, identified poor land records as a major challenge facing the profession.

He said, “You do not just compute valuation without data. You need to go into records, and where there is no database, everyone acts in isolation, leading to inconsistent valuation reports.”

Omisore highlighted weak enforcement of professional standards, corruption, and political interference as additional obstacles affecting effective valuation practice in the country.