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Afe Babalola drops lawsuit against Farotimi after Ooni, others’ pleas

THE founder of Afe Babalola University, based in Ado, Ekiti State, Afe Babalola, has agreed to drop the defamation cases he instituted against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

This followed the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other top traditional leaders in the South-West.

Babalola had petitioned the police commissioner in Ekiti State that Farotimi defamed him in a book he authored. The police arrested Farotimi in Lagos State and whisked him to Ekiti state where they arraigned him before two courts. The courts eventually detained him for weeks.

However, in the early hours of Monday, January 27, Babalola, who spoke at ABUAD after the monarchs’ intervention at midnight of Sunday, January 26, said he had agreed to withdraw the litigations.

The senior lawyer said he would tell his lawyers to withdraw the case.

Among the monarchs who joined Ooni at the meeting hosted by Babalola were the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oloye of Oye Ekiti, and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti.

During the meeting, Babalola said he emphasised the significance of the Yoruba traditional institution and stressed its importance.

The monarchs are here; they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt,” Babalola stated.

The nonagenarian said that he felt so bad that Farotimi accused him of winning all his cases through corruption, the reason he said he rejected all earlier appeals to him to withdraw the cases from courts.

Babalola said other prominent Nigerians had reached out to him to drop the case against Farotimi, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.

He said it was the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, and other top Yoruba monarchs that ultimately led to his decision to withdraw the suits.

Babalola stated that Farotimi’s book contained personal attacks on many judges, including Supreme Court judges, but he was particularly bothered by the attacks because of his humble beginnings.

He explained that he was not motivated by a desire for personal gain, such as wealth or damages, but rather by a desire to use his resources for the benefit of others. Babalola said he found happiness in giving and that he would not benefit from Farotimi’s imprisonment or seeking damages.

The Ooni, who spoke on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, 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 acknowledged Babalola’s significant contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria, and the world.

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 way; we have done the needful.” the revered traditional ruler said.

The ICIR reports that a Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State granted N30 million bail to Farotimi on Friday, December, 20.

 

The bail conditions granted him by the court’s judge, Abayomi Adeosun, include two sureties, who must be responsible citizens, and the defendant’s international passport seized by the court.

As part of the bail condition, Farotimi was restricted from media interviews during the pendency of the case.

Farotimi, renowned for his criticism of human rights abuses and advocacy for justice, was arrested following a petition filed by Babalola.

Babalola claimed the accused defamed him in his book titled: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

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