The Nigerian Legal System

By T. Olawale Elias

Originally published in 1954 and here reissuing the second edition of 1963, The Nigerian Legal System (now with a new preface by Olusoji Elias), is an account of the history of the courts, the sources and general principles of law in Nigeria. It discusses the applications of the English doctrine of judicial precedent, the relationship of English law to customary law, and the limits within which English and Nigerian conceptions of contract, tort, crime, land tenure and personal relations operate. The author also deals with the local administration of the law, the intercourse between the bench and the bar and, not least, the future of Nigerian law.

This valuable book is of use to students of African studies and lawyers who in their work have dealings with the countries of Africa. It first appeared under the title Groundwork of Nigerian Law, but the present title is a more apt description of the content. A number of textual errors have been corrected, and large sections have been entirely re-written or expanded in order to bring the book up to date.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1032968915
• ISBN13: 9781032968919
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 428 Pages