Aare Afe Babalola SAN, the Founder of Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti, announced in the early hours of Monday his decision to withdraw the legal actions against activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi.
The move follows Babalola’s earlier petition to the police commissioner in Ekiti State, in which he accused Farotimi of defamation in his book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’. As a result, police arrested Farotimi and brought him before two courts in Ekiti.
Farotimi faced trial for alleged criminal defamation at the Ekiti State Magistrate Court and for alleged cyber-bullying at the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court.
However, following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other prominent traditional rulers during a midnight meeting, Babalola declared at ABUAD that he would instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal case. He stated, “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case.”
Among those present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole; the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju; and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.
Babalola emphasised the significance of the Yoruba traditional institution and its influence, saying, “The monarchs are here; they have appealed to me regarding a criminal charge involving someone who accused me of corruption.”
The senior advocate expressed his deep distress over Farotimi’s allegations that he achieved success in all his legal cases through corrupt means, which led him to initially reject appeals to resolve the matter outside of court.
He noted that others who had urged him to settle the issue amicably included former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.
He said, “If you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by names, he attacked Supreme Court judges, and none is bothered, but I am bothered. I am bothered because of where and how I started life, from the farm to where I am.
“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment. There is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, rather how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give.
“The request is simple, take away this criminal case in court. When Obasanjo wrote, he came here, I said no. when Kukah phoned and came, I said no, but on this occasion, I say yes. Thank you Kabiyesis. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”
The Ooni, who spoke on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court, assuring him that “nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold and you have stood for your name with the message that nobody can joke with your name.”
Ogunwusi, who acknowledged Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, said, “We (monarchs) came here to discuss the matter with him and he gave full respect to the obas and agreed.
“We, the obas, can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so hard to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbished by anyone. Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherishes his name and the world has heard him clearly.
“Baba, we want to appeal and also use our race to instruct you. Dele Farotimi is your son, you may not know him, we give birth to different children in this world, some are tough, some are soft, some are hard. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.”
The Ooni added, “We are using our race because some of our elders in Yorubaland and even beyond Yorubaland have spoken, but combining forces with the traditional institution, we have heard you, enough, enough and enough. Your name is intact. We have resolved the matter in our own way, we have done the needful.”
