LLB (Nig), BL (Nig), LLM (Aberdeen), PhD (Exeter), Qualified Legal Practitioner (Nigeria), FHEA
Dr Edeji obtained an LLB degree in Nigeria and thereafter went to the Nigerian Law School, becoming a Barrister at Law (BL). He was subsequently admitted to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to practise law in 2007. He has an LLM from the University of Aberdeen and a PhD from the University of Exeter.
Before joining academia, Dr Edeji was in a successful full-time and active legal practice in Nigeria that started in 2007. He is the principal partner at O. C. Edeji & Co, LLP, and has handled very contentious cases, including election petition matters and has appeared before superior courts of records – up to the Court of Appeal.
He taught at the University of Exeter as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant and at the University of Arden as an Associate Lecturer. He joined the University of Buckingham Law School on 5 January 2022, and since joining the School of Law, he has been the module leader for Land Law, International Human Rights: Contemporary Law and Practice (LLB Modules); and International and Comparative Human Rights Law (International Mechanisms), which is an LLM Module. In addition, he teaches Equity and Trusts and the Law of Contracts.
Dr Edeji is the contact editor of the Denning Law Journal. He is also an elected member of The University of Buckingham Senate and an Admission Tutor for the LLB programme.
Dr Edeji is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), a member of the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), an Associate member of the International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS) and a member of the Sustainability Academic Network (SUSAN).
Research Interests
Dr Edeji engages in interdisciplinary research and is happy to consider research supervision in his areas of expertise. His areas of interest include – International Human Rights Law, Children’s Rights, especially educational rights, Socio-economic Rights, Economic theories and their impact on the implementation and enjoyment of human rights – for instance, the Capabilities Approach, the Human Capital Theory, Neoliberal Policies, etc. Human Dignity and its centrality and Nexus with Human Rights, Domestic Implementation of Human Rights, Human Rights and Democracy, and the Role of NGOs and Civil Society, Human Rights-Driven Corporate Social Responsibility, etc.
Dr Edeji is also happy to consider research projects and interests in land and property law.
Selected new publications
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘The Theoretical Relevance of the Capabilities Approach in Discussing the Purpose of Education’ (2023) 14(3) Journal of Education and Practice, 11 – 24.
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘Neo-liberalism, Human Capital Theory and the Right to Education: Economic Interpretation of the Purpose of Education’ (2024) 9 Social Sciences and Humanities Open.
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘Fostering Socio-Economic Rights and Human Dignity through Collaborative Partnerships: The Role of Civil Society Organisations’ (2024) 32(2) African Journal of International and Comparative Law (Dr Ugochukwu L. Obibuaku co-authored this article)
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘International Human Rights Obligations and the Influence of Economic Principles on Education Delivery in Nigeria as an E-9 Country’ (2025) Journal of African Law (JAL), Cambridge University Press
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘Orchestration of Corporate Social Responsibility in Company Law – Reframing Human Security through Education’ (2025) 10 Journal of Sustainable Business (Professor Onyeka K Osuji co-authored this article)
Obinna C. Edeji, ‘Intersections of the Right to Education and Human Dignity in International Human Rights Law: A Purpose-Based Analysis’ (2025) 14 Laws 33
Conference and Events Organised
In 2023 and 2024, I co-led successful international conferences hosted by the School of Law, University of Buckingham, which attracted delegates from different countries. Both conferences were titled: ‘International Conference on Human Rights, Sustainability and Climate Change’.
In August 2024, I co-hosted the FCLP Sustainability Month and the Advocacy and Social Action Internship Program. These two programs ran simultaneously with lectures, workshops and trainings delivered by professionals, industry specialists, sustainability experts, field activists, etc. The FCLP Sustainability Month featured a sustainability match and tree planting.
Some Conference Presentations
‘The Right to Education in International Human Rights Law: A Proposal to Reconceptualise the Basis and Justification for Choosing a Domestic Delivery Approach’
Organisers: Human Rights Centre PGR Conference, Queen’s University Belfast, June 2017
‘The Implementation of the Right to Education, Reconceptualising the Theoretical Basis for Domestic Delivery’
Organisers: University of Strathclyde Law School (2nd Annual Strathclyde PGR Conference), October 2016
‘The Human Right to Education and the Development of Human Capabilities in Nigeria’
Organisers: University of Exeter, School of Law Annual Conferences and Presentations, January 2016
‘The Right to Education and Root Causes of Terrorism: The Role of Education in Deterring Violence and Terrorism’
Organisers: University of Exeter, Southwest Doctoral Training Centre, May 2015
‘The Right to Education and its Relationship with Terrorism’
Organisers: University of Exeter, School of Law Annual Conference and Presentations, January 2015
‘International Humanitarian Law and the Unintended Consequences of the Use of Force in Armed Conflict Situations’ presented at the Students Conference in International Law (SCIL), Jerusalem, State of Israel.
Organisers: Stand With Us Israel, Conference in International Law, 2012.