The truth about the West African land question
Book • 1913
The Truth About the West African Land Question is J. E. Casely Hayford's extended study addressing land tenure, customary authority, and the impact of colonial legal systems in the Gold Coast.
Combining documentary research with moral and legal argumentation, the book showcases his careful citation practices and commitment to teaching legislators and readers how to read and reason well.
Casely Hayford links historical agreements, such as the 1844 bond, to contemporary debates about jurisdiction, rights, and moral distinctions in governance.
The work aimed to influence policy, protect indigenous rights, and model the textual virtues he saw as necessary for responsible leadership.
It remains an important source for scholars studying colonial legal history and nationalist intellectuals in West Africa.
Combining documentary research with moral and legal argumentation, the book showcases his careful citation practices and commitment to teaching legislators and readers how to read and reason well.
Casely Hayford links historical agreements, such as the 1844 bond, to contemporary debates about jurisdiction, rights, and moral distinctions in governance.
The work aimed to influence policy, protect indigenous rights, and model the textual virtues he saw as necessary for responsible leadership.
It remains an important source for scholars studying colonial legal history and nationalist intellectuals in West Africa.
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Mentioned by Jeanne‑Marie Jackson as Casely Hayford's extensive tract on the West African land question, exemplifying his textual and legislative methods.
Jeanne-Marie Jackson, "The Letter of the Law in J. E. Casely Hayford's West Africa" (Princeton UP, 2026)
