The Land laws of the Yoruba country are simple and effective, there being no need of any complicated or elaborate laws, as there is enough land for all the members of the various tribes. Whatever land is not effectively occupied is for the common benefit of all; no one need own any land which he cannot utilize, except farm land left fallow for a short period.

Theoretically and traditionally we have seen above that Yoruba land belongs to the Alâfin of Oyo as the supreme head of the race. “The land belongs to the King” has passed into a proverb. But it must be understood, that it is not meant that the land is the private property of the King, it is only his as representing the race, in other words, Yoruba land belongs to the Yoruba people and to no other, hence as the Yorubas are split into so many tribes, the head of each tribe, as representing the Alâfin is the King for that tribe, and he holds the land or division of the country for the benefit of the tribe, and even he has no power to alienate it permanently of his own accord, to an alien. All lands, therefore, including forests and the plain are owned by some tribe or other, and no one belonging to another race or another tribe can make use of the land without the permission of the king and chiefs who hold the land for their tribe.