By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) will on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, host the Celebrology International Legal Conference, a high-profile gathering of legal experts, policymakers, academics, and cultural stakeholders to examine the role of law in immortalism and celebration.
Themed “Celebrology and Law: The Impact of Law in Immortalism and Celebration in the World Today,” the conference will hold at the Ayo Ajomo Auditorium, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, UNILAG, Akoka, Yaba, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Celebrology — described as the scientific study of honour — encompasses Immortalism, the practice of naming places, monuments, streets, and institutions after notable figures, as well as the study of Celebration in its various forms.
From the Americas named after Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, to Tasmania after Abel Tasman, Colombia after Christopher Columbus, and the Philippines after King Philip II, immortalism has shaped national and cultural identities for centuries. Nigeria has also embraced the practice, with universities and landmarks bearing the names of prominent leaders. Yet, past attempts to rename the University of Lagos after MKO Abiola or the University of Maiduguri after President Muhammadu Buhari have faced stiff resistance, highlighting legal and societal complexities.
Celebrology also explores Celebration, from carnivals and festivals to religious and patriotic observances, raising fresh questions about the place of law in regulating or guiding such events.
The Lagos conference will feature deliberations by members of the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, the legal profession, and other societal stakeholders, aiming to deepen understanding of these intersections.
Convener Sola Odumosu, popularly known as the Father of Celebrology, described the event as a “landmark moment for academic, cultural, and legal discourse.”
Attendance is free, with reservations available via Call/WhatsApp on 08133494851 or at www.solaodumosu.com.