ABSTRACT
Human beings are arguably the most active exploiters of land and natural resources because they are endowed with the capacity to engage in productive activities that require planning and group work. For this reason, land has always been an important aspect in defining and reshaping relations between human beings, whether individuals or groups. Thus, the value attached to land derives not only from its function of supporting livelihoods, but also from its symbolic value as a criterion for group identification. For this reason, land tenure in most pre-colonial African societies was based on communal ownership of land, which was congruent with the prevailing subsistence economy and a political system centered around an ethnic group or tribe.
