FOLA SASEGBON

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN ICON

FOLA SASEGBON - THE MAKING OF A LEGEND

Fola`s was born in Lagos on 8th March 1939. His mother was Emilia Oyebisi Adebayo. She was a teacher. His father was Dr. Abamikole Oladipo Sasegbon.

Fola attended Olubadan, Kudeti and Aremo Primary Schools in Ibadan, His contemporaries in the primary schools include Laniyan Ojo, Sammy Ola, Late Olu Aboderin, Victor Olunloyo, Late Osu Adeleke etc.

Fola`s mother married Late Mr. P.O. Chukwude, hid revered step father and had three other children. At an early age of nine, Fola lost his mother on 15th June 1945 and was left to the love and care of hid maternal grandparents in Ibadan, Mr. Isaac Adebayo and Mrs. Fawe Adebayo.

His grandmother in particular doted on him and gave him all the love and attention a child could expect. Indeed, it was at that point that his love for the theatre developed. In an effort to follow Fola to grow up with his age group, rather than staying at home with his grandparents, the grandmother was always willing to provide gate fees for Fola to watch films which later became his greatest hobby.

Fola`s parental grandfather Mr. D. T. Sasegbon and his aunty Mrs. O. S. Beckley both in Lagos provided the childhood balance he needed from that side of his family.

He had his Secondary education at the Ibadan Grammar School from 1950 – 1955 under the able principal-ship of Arch-Deacon Alayande “Oga” Secondary education in those days was six year but because of a double promotion, Fola managed to complete the course in five years.

During his Secondary School days in Ibadan, his father as a Doctor was stationed all over the country; home therefore, was all over the country or with caring relations like Osibos and Delanos Farm or Aunty O. S. Beckley or back to base at Opopo Labiran, Ibadan.

Apart from showing signs of not being an ordinary man at school, Fola enjoyed this stage of his life, he played very well and worked when occasion demand. He was quite rough like most boys of his age, but he has a lot of self-discipline, determination and direction.

He had his political awareness awakened and had the privilege of listening to politicians like Zik, Awolowo etc. at the Western House of Assembly by accompanying his uncle in-law Dr. Akanu Ibiam who was then a member.

... MORE ABOUT FOLA SASEGBON

FOLA SASEGBON The making of an Icon

During his secondary school life and early adulthood, his father got married and had four other children .

With the help of God and the financial and emotional support of his step father the reversed Pa. Chukwude, he sailed too England in 1956 and within the year he matriculated and gained admission as an internal student to the University College London and read Law, even though, granted the opportunity he would have loved to read Engineering.

God knowing Fola`s destiny, he got his LL. B Degree in June,1959. He enrolled at the Gray`s Inn and was called to the Bar in February 1961.

Oozing with ambition and literacy talents, he tried his hand at writing plays and enrolled at the University to do a master’s degree but for a motherless Afolabi, things were not quite easy.

He returned to Nigeria in April 1961 and was enrolled at the Supreme Court with the unique position of whether he read English or Law.

God knowing Fola`s mission on earth and with the insistence of his step father that he should go into the field of his qualification, he joined the Civil Service 1961 as a State Counsel and on 16th December 1961 he met Laide Osinowo.

Fola resigned his appointment with the Federal Ministry of Justice in 1964 after acquiring vast experience through exposure to almost all the sections of the ministry.

Having been blessed with a daughter on 26th May 1963, Fola, Laide and Folake with their limited worldly possessions left the government accommodation and the grandeur of the then government service for their sojourn in life.

Fola was introduce to Michael Odesanya`s Chambers at 51/55 Broad Street by his very good friend S. M. Olakurin, who was then practicing in this Chambers, thus starting his private legal practice. He remained in the chambers under the influence and close contact of the rare qualities of his “Senior” unit 1967. when Mr. Justice Odesanya was called to the bench. He later moved to his Chambers in a different section of the building knowing as 11 Williams Street.

After all his exposure to the literacy, political and legal world, bubbling with energy, enthusiasm and great ideas, he engages himself in all sort of intellectual gymnastics and symposiums and with friends like Alao Aka Bashorun, Tunji Gomez, Aliyi Ekenek, Kunle Oyero, Kunle Akinsemoyin and a host other, Fola got involved with the running of the Nigeria Bar Association. He contributed his humble quota not only as an active member, but as an official of the Lagos branch and as an Editor of the Bar Journal.

Fola`s literary talent and ambition had an outlet when in 1964, he started publishing a journal for the legal profession. Between 1964 – 1977 with the cooperation of friends as well wishers, he worked relentlessly physical, mentally and financially to produce eight issues of the ‘Nigeria lawyers” quarterly. Fola`s editorial in the maiden issue of the journal is enough to portray his complete love and dedication to the rule of law and to the honorable profession for which he was created.

Many new him personally, while orders where impacted by his life, his publication and his movement.

FIRST EDITORIAL IN THE

NIGERIA LAWYER QUARTERLY

“whenever the history of his journal comes to the written, to be written, its pages shall ascribe the Nigeria Bar Journal a prominent place. The Nigeria bar journal is the official publication of the Bar Association. Published quarterly it has, until now the distinction of being the only legal journal in Nigeria; all other legal publications merely report decide cases. The effort which produced the Nigeria lawyer`s Quarterly became necessary when in November 1963 the Nigeria Bar Association resolved the owing to the rising cost of publication, the association ceased “in the meantime, the quarterly publication of the journal and undertook instead a yearly publication” which was to have a different format from the quarterly publication.

This resolution has risen to a situation, whereby over 1,500 strong body of Nigeria lawyers would for the better part of a year be left with no journal to read except perhaps journal for Accountant, Economists or allied Professionals. A vacuum was thus created. Consequently, our present purpose is to help the Nigeria Bar Association fill his vacuum. However, we hope that our learned colleagues will contribute interesting articles, and the High court Registrars will make available to us all copies of important judgments and the Law Publishers will supply us regularly with copies of their new publications, for only such co-operation could enables us to realize our aim.

Our policy in a nutshell is to keep the Nigerian Lawyer, particularly the practicing lawyer, with limited access to Law Libraries, up to date in his law at a moderate cost. It is also hoped that the Bench, Teachers and Students of law, legal advisers to Government and private companies would find our publication informative and useful.

In executing our policy, we intend to publish regularly interesting articles on any legal consideration, book review and record of activities of lawyers within and without the country.

If in this way, we could succeed in uploading the traditions of liberty and justice and safeguarding the rule of law, then we would be satisfied that our time, our efforts have provided our contemporaries with a microscope to view the growth of our living law.

Finally, we confess that our primary aim in first issue is to find a correct format for the journal and we do not yet wish to be judged by international standards.

Perhaps this foregoing public confession of our present intention would win for us freedom from the chains of criticisms, with which those who probably from kindness, would otherwise fetter our efforts in this issue.

AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE REMEMBERED

MR. FOLA SASEGBON 1936 - 2007

1939

Fola`s was born in Lagos

Fola`s was born in Lagos on 8th March 1939. His mother was Emilia Oyebisi Adebayo. She was a teacher. His father was Dr. Abamikole Oladipo Sasegbon.

1950

Secondary Education

He had his Secondary education at the Ibadan Grammar School from 1950 - 1955 under the able principal-ship of Arch-Deacon Alayande ``Oga`` Secondary education in those days was six year but because of a double promotion, Fola managed to complete the course in five years.

1956

The Legal Practice Journey

1961

He returned Home

He returned to Nigeria in April 1961 and was enrolled at the Supreme Court with the unique position of whether he read English or Law.

1964

Work & Family

Fola resigned his appointment with the Federal Ministry of Justice in 1964 after acquiring vast experience through exposure to almost all the sections of the ministry.

1977

Literary Excellence

Fola`s literary talent and ambition had an outlet when in 1964, he started publishing a journal for the legal profession. Between 1964 - 1977 with the cooperation of friends as well wishers, he worked relentlessly physical, mentally and financially to produce eight issues of the 'Nigeria lawyers`` quarterly. Fola`s editorial in the maiden issue of the journal is enough to portray his complete love and dedication to the rule of law and to the honorable profession for which he was created.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

JANUARY 21ST, 1964

Fola as a practicing lawyer has his horizon beyond the shores of Nigeria, therefore, along with friends joined numerous International Law Associations E.g. International Bar association, World Peace through Law, International Maritime Law Association, Petroleum Law Association etc.

He served as the Honorary Secretary of the Premier Lagos Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association between 1965 and 1968 and later as member of the National Executive Committee of the body as well as a member of its Bar Council. He was the Chairman of the Nigerian Chapter of the World Peace Through Law, Vice Chairman of the Petroleum, Energy and Mineral Association of Nigeria and prior to his passing away, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian maritime Law Association, he also served as a Council Member of the Business Law Section of the International Bar Association Bar Association and on Sub-Committee of both CMI and the joint IMO and UNCTAD panels on liens and mortgages. Until his passing away, he was the Chairman of Claims International Limited as Insurance Broking firm specializing in Claims Resolutions.

He also ran annually a course on aspects on Nigerian Civil Procedure at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Lagos and has been a visiting instructor at the International Development Law Institute in Rome, Italy. He was also a founding member of the International Maritime Conciliation and Mediation Panel.

He enjoyed the love of his extended family of relatives: Sasegbon, Chidi-Ofong, Chikwude, Ibiam Beckley, Aregbesola, Coke, Fadipe, Adeniran, Aderinsola, Ajani, Delano, the Oduronke-Macaulay Family of Lagos and Odo-Ojomu of Ondo.

He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday 9th June 2017.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Laide Sasegbon, Mrs. Afolake Sasegbon-Jaja and Dr. Dagogo Jaja, Mr. Lanre Sasegbon and Naduo Amr-Sasegbon and grandchildren Adafe Afolarin Didi Jaja and Atuokiki Afolahan Dita Jaja. In the ten years since Fola`s Passing, we have been blessed with Sebastien Afolabi + Roman Olanrewaju.

I THANK GOD FOR FOLA, HIS LIFE FOR THESE FORTY-SIX YEARS, HIS AMBITIONS, HIS ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR AND HIS YEARNING FOR YEARS TO COME. I PRAISE GOD FOR THE FRUITFUL YEARS WE HAVE SPENT TOGETHER AND FOR THE PRODUCTS OF THE UNION AFOLAKE AND AFOLABI.