Disclaimer: This article is not a legal advice. It’s for educational purposes.
The opening question here would be “Why teach a child property law at 12 “and the answer is “the earlier the better”. Property literacy is when one is conscious and understands the rules of dealing with properties (in this context real estate). Real estate property is one factor of life that involves every human being. Everyone needs and lives in a house presumably. It is either you are a landlord or tenant at any point in time. Therefore, the earlier you understand the rules governing acquisition of land, building houses, landlord and tenant issues, the better for you because a child of today is the father and mother of tomorrow.
The problems in the administration of real estate today arises from the ignorance of the rules and the laws governing this area. Administration of real estate would have been easier today if men and women of yesterday knew the rules and thought their children early.
Propertygroom will call it “Property Morality”. If men and women of this era were thought property morality by their parents who undoubtedly were also ignorant, there would have been less problems in real estate transactions today however this is the era of knowledge when we have information at our fingertips so it is time to carry everyone along so there will be reasonable knowledge in dealing with real estate in Nigeria.
We teach children to save money and avoid waste, behave well, read their books to pass exams but we don’t teach them: Who owns the land under their feet, who owns the house they live in, how to take care of a property, how to buy and sell, who is a landlord, who is a tenant, how not to behave as a tenant or landlord. How to take care and maintain a house. Who is an agent and the dangers of dealing with real estate transactions without professionals. We think this may be unnecessary because they are young but that’s why adults of today with university degrees still buy land with receipts only. That’s why pastors, professors, doctors, engineers, business men and women still fall victim of wrong family land and “419 agents” scams. That’s why adult men and women buy land under electric high-tension cables, canals, government acquisition and land without proper searches by professionals. That is why landlords increase rent at will, remove roofs and deposit pussy cats inside the ceiling to enforce recovery. Tenants convert rented residential houses to disco halls without landlord’s permission. Tenants relocate from a house and pass to their friends without telling the landlord. They don’t take time to read their tenancy agreements because they are ignorant. They are grown and successful businessmen and women but no one ever thought them the rudiments of real estate. Property morality.
Why Age 12? Children understand rules of a game. Land law is just “rules of real estate transactions and compliant/fair dealing in property transactions”. Financial literacy without property literacy is incomplete in Africa. Financial literacy can say “save ₦50k monthly”. Property literacy will say “₦50k a month can buy land in one year somewhere in Nigeria only if the papers are right”. Children need to hear this from their parents and it sticks as they grow. Teach them simply what it means to buy land, why it is useful, why you must start saving early. How to be a good house owner, good tenant. Teach them about estate agents, what they do, how fake agents can scam you too. Teach them that when an Instagram agent DMs “cheap land in Epe”, he/she’ll ask: “Where is the C of O or Governor’s Consent?” That one question can save them from fraud tomorrow. Tell them your experience in where you are living ,weather you are a landlord or tenant. How you bought, build or rented the place they are living. It is good story.
Daughters need It more because many cultures in Africa will say “women don’t own or inherit land”. but the law says otherwise. Teach them section 42 of Nigeria Constitution. Discuss Ukeje v Ukeje with them. Tell them that in that case, the Supreme court banned sex discrimination, that any custom excluding daughters anywhere in Nigeria from inheritance is void. Let them hear about a law being repugnant to natural justice from you. Remember “tales by the moon light”. Reenact it with property law for a better tomorrow in real estate. I can remember when we were growing, my father used to tell us “Any man that slaps a woman must go to jail”. We grew up remembering that statement and till today it guides us the men in dealing with women. Tell your children” Never to buy land, house, or rent any property without a lawyer. If you do, plenty problems will follow” They will grow with that idea that “my father and mother told me never to buy or rent a house without a lawyer”. Teach them about property rights in case of eventualities like separation, divorce and death. “ . Let them know that “It is not my portion is not wisdom “. Protect yourself against tomorrow is wiser.
Property literacy protects girls from widowhood abuse from family members. Because the parents have been telling them what happens to so many women in their neighborhood and villages, they will be on guard and grow up doing things appropriately to protect themselves against problems tomorrow.
Propertygroom is not unaware of some ignorant religious persons who will call you a witch when you teach your children property law at young age because they will accuse you of wishing evil to your children by teaching them how to guide against problems that may occur in future. Here in Nigeria and some African countries, ignorant people believe that when you are educating one on guiding against problems that may come up tomorrow, you must be a witch wishing them evil in future. The next thing you hear always is “IT IS NOT MY POTION” This is ignorance. Growing into the future with knowledge and proper guidance is WISDOM. Brighter future is for those who prepare for it.
PROPERTGROOM advice: We’re raising financially smart kids who will still be property illiterate adults tomorrow if we ignore this text. They’ll earn money, then lose it to fake land deals, 419 agents and wicked landlords and tenants. Teach your children land law early in life so they will not be victims tomorrow.
As we take the children to churches and mosques to teach them religious morality, let’s also teach them “Property Morality “at home to protect their future.
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