Oche's research covers two related themes. First, it covers the theoretical study of law from southern perspectives and the critical approaches of other disciplines, such as sociology, politics, history and philosophy. Influenced by this approach, the second strand of Oche's research covers the role of law in development, especially the relationship between human rights and development, community approaches to development, moral-philosophical approaches to poverty and development as well as the relationship between human rights and global justice from southern, critical and moral-philosophical perspectives.

Oche Onazi is Senior Lecturer in law at the University of Northumbria. Prior to his appointment, Oche was Lecturer in Law at the Universities of Southampton (2016-20) and Dundee (2011-16). Oche was also an International Social Research Foundation (ISRF) Early Career Fellow (2015-18).  

Oche holds degrees from the Universities of Edinburgh (Ph.D.), Warwick (LL.M.) and Jos (LL.B.) and is a qualified (but non-practising) barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Oche’s research interests cover areas of legal philosophy, law and development and human rights. His recent work focuses on the possibility, meaning and application of African legal philosophy, African legal theory and African jurisprudence. He is the author of An African path to Disability Justice: Community, Relationships and Obligations (Springer 2020) - Book launch conversation with Julie Maybee and Tom Shakespeare, Human Rights from Community: A Rights-Based Approach to Development (Edinburgh University Press 2013) and editor of African Legal Theory and Contemporary Problems (Springer 2014). Oche has published articles in the journals Law and Critique; Law, Social Justice & Global Development; Global Jurist; and the International Journal of Law in Context.