Land tenure problems in east Cameroon

Abstract

African land tenure problems, just like those of the African family, are exceedingly complex and baffling. With its ethnic diversity, Cameroon is an inextricable tangle of different concepts of title to land. Yet, except in the overpopulated areas and some times in the towns, the tensions stemming from land tenure problems were practically unknown in Cameroon until about thirty years ago. Owing to economic development and particularly the overpopulation of certain sectors, and the development of the towns, the government was forced to intervene in land tenure questions. In this brief survey we shall review some aspects of the customary law of certain ethnic groups, chosen either because of their geographical location and their special features, or because they are sectors giving rise to land tenure problems, or lastly for the sake of convenience as ire know these cases best. In a second part we shall analyse the land legislation of Cameroon and its application to some schemes undertaken by the Cameroon government.