Section 166 Property and Conveyancing Law of the Western Region of Nigeria 1959

Section 166 of the Property and Conveyancing Law of the Western Region of Nigeria 1959 is about Leases invalidated by reason of non-compliance with terms of powers under which they are granted. It provides as follows:

(1) Where in the intended exercise of any power of leasing, whether conferred
by any enactment or any other instrument, a lease (in this section referred to as an
invalid lease) is granted, which by reason of any failure to comply with the terms of
the power is invalid, then

(a) as against the person entitled after the determination of the interest of the grantor to the reversion; or
(b) as against any other person who, subject to any lease properly granted under the power, would have been entitled to the land comprised in the lease;

the lease, if it was made in good faith, and the lessee has entered thereunder, shall
take effect in equity as a contract for the grant, at the request of the lessee, of a valid lease under the power, of like effect as the invalid lease, subject to such variations as may be necessary in order to comply with the terms of the power:

Provided that a lessee under an invalid lease shall not, by virtue of any such implied
contract, be entitled to obtain a variation of the lease if the other persons who would
have been bound by the contract are willing and able to confirm the lease without
variation.

(2) Where a lease granted in the intended exercise of such a power is invalid by
reason of the grantor not having power to grant the lease at the date thereof, but the
grantor’s interest in the land comprised therein continues after the time when he
might, in the exercise of the power, have properly granted a lease in the like terms, the lease shall take effect as a valid lease in like manner as if it had been granted at
that time.

(3) Where during the continuance of the possession taken under an invalid lease the
person for the time being entitled, subject to such possession, to the land comprised
therein or to the rents and profits thereof, is able to confirm the lease without
variation, the lessee, or other person who would have been bound by the lease had it been valid, shall, at the request of the person so able to confirm the lease, be bound to accept a confirmation thereof, and thereupon the lease shall have effect and be deemed to have had effect as a valid lease from the grant thereof.

Confirmation under this sub-section may be by a memorandum in writing signed by
or on behalf of the persons respectively confirming and accepting the confirmation
of the lease.

(4) Where a receipt or a memorandum in writing confirming an invalid lease is,
upon or before the acceptance of rent thereunder, signed by or on behalf of the person accepting the rent, that acceptance shall, as against that person, be deemed to be a confirmation of the lease.

(5) The foregoing provisions of this section do not affect prejudicially
(a) any right of action or other right or remedy to which, but for those provisions or
any enactment replaced by those provisions, the lessee named in an invalid lease
would or might have been entitled under any covenant on the part of the grantor for
title or quiet enjoyment contained therein or implied thereby; or

(b) any right of re-entry or other right or remedy to which, but for those provisions
or any enactment replaced thereby, the grantor or other person for the time being entitled to the reversion expectant on the termination of the lease, would or might
have been entitled by reason of any breach of the covenants, conditions or provisions contained in the lease and binding on the lessee.

(6) Where a valid power of leasing is vested in or may be exercised by a person who grants a lease which, by reason of the determination of the interest of the grantor or otherwise, cannot have effect and continuance according to the terms thereof independently of the power, the lease shall for the purposes of this section be deemed to have been granted in the intended exercise of the power although the power is not referred to in the lease.

(7) This section does not apply to a lease of land held on charitable, ecclesiastical
or public trusts.

(8) This section takes effect without prejudice to the provision in this Law for the
grant of leases in the name and on behalf of the estate owner of the land affected.