When transferring land, you need to surrender the existing original title to the lands office, transfer documents etc. If you buy land from someone, he/she gives you the title deed and signs transfer docs which you take to the lands office so that the land can be transferred to your name, the old title discarded and new title processed in your name. Was the original land subdivided into smaller plots?, if so, all the new pieces need title deeds thus the owner cannot give you the original title deed coz he you did not buy the entire land but a piece of the original land.