OLOWU & ORS
V.
OLOWU & ANOR

COKER, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The parties to these proceedings now on appeal are the issues and beneficiaries of one Adeyinka Ayinde Olowu, whose parents were Yoruba indigenes from Ilesha. He lived apparently from childhood until his death in Benin City. He, like his late father, had considerable business interests in Benin City and acquired landed properties as any indegene of that City. He married Benin women and, it is clear on the evidence and finding of the trial Judge that, the parties themselves are children born by his Benin wives. It was pleaded by the 1st defendant and evidence was led that during his lifetime, he applied to the Oba of Benin to be "naturalised" as a Benin indigene which conferred on him the right to acquire absolute title to the considerable landed properties in Benin City as any native of that city. The trial Judge accepted the evidence and found as a fact that he became a Benin indigene by choice with the blessing of the Oba of Benin and ap…