INTERNAL CONFLICTS RESOLUTION IN RELATION TO INTESTATE SUCCESSION IN NIGERIA: PERSONAL LAW OR LEX SITUS?
INTRODUCTION Although Nigeria is one single nation, the presence of different and diverse ethnocultural groupings and consequently multifarious rules of customary law, makes the presence of conflict of laws problems. Problems of internal conflict of laws arise in Nigeria whenever there is a clash between two or more different systems of customary law and the court is faced with the task of determining and choosing which of them to apply in the case before it. This article explains which law Nigerian courts would apply in resolving internal conflicts of matters relating to inheritance or succession matters. INHERITANCE OR SUCCESSION MATTERS To resolve conflicts related to inheritance or succession matters, the courts do this in two different ways: 1. Inheritance relating to movable properties. 2. Inheritance relating to landed or immovable properties. 1. Inheritance relating to movable...