-DEJI SASEGBON (1953-2016)
When on 1st of April 1953, a third son was born to the very charismatic Dr. A.O. Sasegbon, the well travelled physician may have looked forward to yet another succession hopeful in his trait blessing medical practice. But that hope proved to have been as elusive as an April fools day prank! To the boy who was to play in many fields of life, including Marshall Arts, chess, Bike Racing and Social Engineering, the oaths of Hippocrates was just not for him. He took to the law instead, the choice of which was probably influenced by an elder brother who he had admired: the late Kole Sasegbon, one of the earliest law activists, editor of the Nigerian Bar journal at one time and one of the early maritime lawyers in the country.
Whether or not the notion of predestination has a place in the world of science and philosophy, there is no doubt that the lives of some people point to the possibility that certain individuals come into the world with a clear vision of their role in that sphere of life in which they are drawn by the promptings of some force that are innate in them. Deji Sasegbon proved that point. He came to the law fully aware of what his role was to be and he embraced that role with singular devotion and a sense of ascetic sacrifice that even those in priestly callings may find challenging. Deji or De Sash as we fondly called him, was a full package – that thing that Chinua Achebe said of Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, that she came fully formed!. De Sash came into the Legal Profession fully endowed and provided for in the role that he was to play in it. He had the mind of an innovator, he was a visionary who saw far ahead of his peers. He was highly disciplined and his money sense was that of an entrepreneur, economist and an accountant. He had an artistic sense as well as a scientific bent of mind when it comes to trouble shooting. When most of us were still essentially analogue, De Sash was already in his digital age. Joining the DSC team at 203 Ikorodu Road Lagos at the formative stage of DSC publications endeavour, was my very first involvement with computers and De Sash deployed the s use of computers for everything. He found a way to be ahead of others in identifying the latest technologies in the field of ICT, printing and office management. When most of the big law firms were still in basic appreciation and utilization ICT., De Sash was already deploying mobile and wireless telephone technology. His car was a virtual tech office and he could engage with the team at the office from anywhere. De Sash was able to anticipate what we are now witnessing in the practice of the law. He envisioned an era when an entire Library could be held and deployed for legal problem solving in one device. Some of his ideas seemed to me at that time to be rather surrealistic. While I was quite content to do my work in a well stocked library, De Sash already envisioned a paperless library, but that idea did not look very practicable to me. Today, when we use Law Pavilion and other electronic law resources, it looks natural and matter of fact. It was not so in the days when De Sash braized the trail. De Sash was also an astute businessman. Together, De Sash and I, battled shark financiers and put them in their place, so much so that not once was any of them able to disrupt the business, thanks to the legendary financial prudence of De Sash. In addition to all of these, Sash was an intellectual of no mean repute and he brought his great intellectual gifts to the cases he prosecuted with as much success as the publications he conceived and brought to print and circulation. I remain deeply pained that his great strides were arrested by the illness to which he succumbed on the early hours of December 10, 2016 – his life work still largely unfinished. But for the great redeeming efforts of his loving and dedicated spouse, Oge Sasegbon, herself a seasoned Lawyer, death would indeed have robed the legal profession in an irreparable way. De Sash was gunning for the day when his legal materials will be held in mobile devices by lawyers in court. That dream has come true by the sustaining efforts of that other half of De Sash. Sasegbon’s Laws of the Federation, as well as other DSC publications will soon be fully available in digital form. There could be no greater tribute to a man than the continuation of his life work and dream by those he has left behind.
De Sash will continue to speak to us through his works as we remember him, on this his natal day.
May the enterprising, inspiring and enabling spirit of Deji Sasegbon SAN, ever be with us and assist us in the service of the Legal Profession and humanity.
Ogbonnaya C. Agbafo, Esq.
