IKONGBEH, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellants were the plaintiffs before the Imo State High Court, sitting at Orlu. They had taken out a writ of summons, for themselves and as representing the Amano village, against the respondents, claiming a declaration of title to land, damages for trespass, and an order of injunction. Both parties are farmers living in various villages of Eziachi town, of which Amano, the plaintiff's village, was one.
The plaintiff's case on their pleading before the trial court was, briefly, that the land in dispute was their homestead where they had lived and farmed from time immemorial. Their ancestors before them had lived, farmed, died, and had been buried there. Each of them traced his root to one Achi, the founder of Eziachi town, through Amonu, one of the five sons of Achi. They claimed to be the descendants of the four sons of Amonu. The land in dispute, they further claimed, was part of Amonu's share of Achi's land that he inherited…