Seven volumes of Sasegbon’s Judicial Dictionary of Nigerian Law, published by DSC Publications, the publishing firm of the late Deji Sasegbon (SAN), have been presented, albeit, posthumously, to members of the legal profession and the public, report Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU and ADEBISI ONANUGA
MEMORIES of the late Deji Sasegbon (SAN) came alive last Thursday, at the AGIP Recital Hall, MUSON, Onikan, Lagos.
It was at the presentation of the Seven volumes of Sasegbon’s Judicial Dictionary of Nigerian Law (SJD), compiled by the late Deji Sasagbon, three years after he passed on.
The roll included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was the Chief Guest of Honour, while former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Wole Olanipekun, chaired the event.
Others were Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Justice Hakeem Oshodi. who represented the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, Justice Ayokunle Faji who represented the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, Justice Osatohanmwen Ayodele Obaseki-Osaghae who represented the Chief Judge, National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) Justice Benedict Kanyip, Justice Iyabo Kasali of the Lagos High Court, Justice Oluyinka Gbajabiamila (rtd), Chief Magistrate, Warri, Edoja Sowho who represented the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN), who reviewed the dictionary, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Ondo State, Kola Adewuyi (SAN), represented Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The Chairman, National Council for Continuing Legal Education of the NBA, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), activist Femi Falana (SAN), former General Secretary of NBA, Dele Adesina (SAN), Chief JK Gadzama (SAN), former Attorney-General, Ogun State, Lanre Ogunlesi (SAN), Senator Femi Ojodu, among others, were there.
Sasegbon published 89 volumes of Law books in his lifetime. They are 38 volumes of Nigeria Supreme Court Cases (NSCC), 6 volumes of Company and Allied Matters Law and Practice, 30 volumes of Sasegbon’s Laws of Nigeria (an Encyclopedia of Nigerian Law (SLN), 15 volumes of Sasegbon’s Election Petitions (SEP)
Osinbajo said Sasegbon’s Judicial Dictionary was “a dream come true.”
“His passion was for legal publications and he lived it greatly,” Osinbajo said.
He continued: “The publication of Nigeria Supreme Court Cases), the Company and Allied Matters Law and Practice, Sasegbon’s Laws of Nigeria (SLN) (an Encyclopedia of Nigerian Law) and Sasegbon’s Election Petitions (SEP) and others are not just reliable tools for legal practitioners and scholars alike. But they contain on every page clean stating commitment, vigorous thinking and incredible amount of physical and mental hard work”.
The Vice President also spoke of his relationship with Sasegbon who he said they all called, “D Shash”.
“I was involved in the very beginning of his journey into legal publications. Very early in the 80’s, I think 1983 or so, when he conceived the idea of publishing Nigeria Supreme Court cases, he shared the vision with a few of us, his friends. He wanted to be the first to publish a full and comprehensive report of all Nigeria Supreme Court cases. Eventually, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) of blessed memory, got into that same race with him. It was really a race between Deji and Chief Fawehinmi on who would be the first to publish a comprehensive compendium of all Nigeria Supreme Court cases.
“He shared the vision with such passion and I simply couldn’t resist agreeing to work on such project with him. I saw him put everything he had into it. We all had no choice, we worked with him night and day at his office on Ikorodu Road. We worked overnight many, many times, we slept there working and of course, Oge was there, giving us coffee, snacks night and day.
“Deji worked that way and if anything, he became the first to publish the first comprehensive report of all Supreme Court of Nigeria cases and this is the way he worked on all his publications. So much diligence, so much dedication.
“As Editor-in-Chief of DSC Publishers Ltd, he dedicated his life to all his legal publications and I believe generations unborn, within and outside the country, would benefit from it.
“As at 1983, very few people had seen computers. But Deji had a whole room filled with computers, huge work station. Those things were giant things at that time. Working with them was probably as difficult as working manually. But they produced results. So, the very early use of technology to do any kind of publication, Deji was one of the pioneers as well.
“So, what better way to celebrate an icon, legal scholarship, than by bringing to life another of his contributions to Nigerian jurisprudence. Anyone who has had opportunity to take a look at the Judicial Dictionary of Nigerian Law, will see, just as Koyinsola Ajayi said, definitions of over 150,000 legal terms as rendered by the Supreme Court, and the articulate thinking of the author of those terms, and all others will attest to the nature and character of his works. He always epitomises quality and standards.
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“I believe that this Dictionary would not just serve as prospectus to the legal profession and scholars, but will also provide so many new ways of looking at some of the old terms and technology that we come across regularly.”
Like Vice President Osinbajo, Olanipekun said he shared a lot of things with Sasegbon, particularly, his dream of publishing legal books.
He said: “I knew Deji very well and this accounts for why I am here to honour him”.
Olanipekun described Sasegbon as: “a true friend, a confidant, a leader, author, publisher, rugged and dogged lawyer, determined and forensic lawyer” adding that his works speak volumes of him even after death.
He said he had a personal commitment to Sasegbon and was committed to his project of publishing a judicial dictionary.
Olanipekun said he had never seen any lawyer as illustrious, painstaking in going into every minute detail in the nitty-gritty of Nigerian laws. He added: “Judges, lawyers, academics, students all make use of legal books published by Sasegbon”.
He said Sasegbon did so much for the legal profession and would continue to live in the “consciousness and unconsciousness” of legal practitioners.
Noting that lawyers have no pension scheme nor gratuity after retirement, he urged the leadership of the NBA to consider setting up an insurance scheme for members to access on retirement.
Koyinsola paid homage to Sasegbon for his vision of publishing a judicial dictionary of the Nigerian law.
He described the Dictionary as “the work of an artist and a genius.” He noted that the volumes were well planned and satisfied the fancy of those who loved good books and a well stocked library, describing it as “a book of our dream and one for the common good of all.”
Ajayi said: “His contribution to the legal profession transcends the landscape of our laws. He was like a scanning satellite gathering all by way of case laws and covering different aspects of the law and created order out of disorder. He laid bare the arcane terminologies whose meanings were subject to all manner of interpretations by lawyers, judges and scholars alike.”
He canvassed a posthumous award for Sasegbon in view of his contributions.
Falana, who described Ajayi’s review of the Dictionary as, “a wonderful exercise”, said the book would add core values to legal practice in Nigeria.
Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Chief Charles Edosomwan (SAN), described the Dictionary as a “must have” for legal practitioners.
He said aside being a quick reference material, “definitions in the Ddictionary were made simple by the non-laborious language deployed in their expression in admirable terms”.
Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN), who was Sasegbon’s contemporary at the university, said he never doubted his imagination and ability.
“It was no surprise to me when he made his mark as a legal publisher extraordinaire, treading where no one had dared to tread with his magnus corpus. Sasegbon’s Laws of Nigeria is the first-ever legal encyclopedia of Nigerian law. To follow up with a legal dictionary of this magnificence is truly awe-inspiring and I wholeheartedly endorse the efforts of DSC Publications in ensuring the completion of Deji Sasegbon’s final publication”, he said.
Mrs. Funke Adekoya (SAN) commended the publication for its quality and content and described it “as a befitting legacy for Deji Sasegbon’s work in supporting increased access by lawyers to legal research materials”.
Mia Essien praised the DSC Publications for keeping the tremendous legacy of Deji Sasegbon alive.
George Etomi said: “The judicial dictionary goes far and beyond being a legal dictionary in the ordinary sense of the word. I am of the firm opinion that this publication will serve as the most comprehensive legal dictionary in Nigeria to date. It is replete with not just ordinary definitions but in some cases, with numerous examples to provide for the context within which words or phrases- instances, words are used.
“There are also significant comparisons, analysis and relevant examples and in numerous instances, words are juxtaposed against one another to guide the reader in fully grasping the subtle but relevant differences in meaning and usage”.
Earlier, in a welcome address, Sasegbon’s widow, Oge, said work on the book started three years before her husband’s death. Oge said she and other dedicated staff of DSC Publications, particularly, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Ehi Esoimeme, took it upon themselves to make the dream of her husband a reality.
“We could do no less to honour his memory and the tremendous legacy he left behind than to ensure that this last project about which he was so passionate, was finished to the standard he always worked and produced in his numerous publications.
“Bringing Sasegbon’s Judicial Dictionatry to light has been characterised by a true sense of humility and gratitude. Further additions to a library of works so deeply etched within the Nigerian legal system has required a resolute effort to preserve the legacy of Deji Sasegbon’s DSc Publications and more importantly, to serve the law, its students and the legal and business communities it so dearly cherishes”, she said.
Mr. Esoimeme, on his part , described his late boss as a great teacher, mentor and inspiration. He said Sasegbon was a consummate teacher, passionate about transferring and sharing knowledge.
“What he taught me was priceless and enabled me to step into his unique mind and hopefully complete the Judicial Dictionary of Nigerian Law in the way and manner he envisaged.
“Sasegbon’s Judicial Dictionary is important in statutory analysis which seek to find an ‘objectified’ intent; the intent that will help a researcher to have a much better understanding of the text of the law”.
According to him, the publication is fully representative of the language it seeks to define and illuminate, adding that with the publication, “readers are met with comprehensive definitions of key terms drawn from both case law and subsidiary legislation as opposed to using external sources of understanding”.
‘As at 1983, very few people had seen computers. But Deji had a whole room filled with computers, huge work station. Those things were giant things at that time. Working with them was probably as difficult as working manually. But they produced results. So, the very early use of technology to do any kind of publication, Deji was one of the pioneers as well’
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