By Ayodele Oni
Following intervention by foremost Yoruba monarchs, and Nigerian leaders, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola, a senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has agreed to drop defamation charge against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi is currently facing criminal defamation charges instituted by the legal luminary.
An Ekiti Magistrate Court recently granted Dele Farotimi ₦30 million bail.
Addressing newsmen midnight on Sunday, in Ado Ekiti, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said Yoruba leaders and stakeholders were following the event keenly and had to appeal to Aare Babalola to pardon his son, Farotimi.
He commended Aare Babalola for building his integrity over the years.
Oba Oguwusi appealed to Babalola to consider the various forces and personalities that have intervened in the matter.
The monarch hailed Babalola and commended his contribution to the development of the Yoruba race, the Nation and the world at large.
“We all came together to discuss the matter with him and he gave all the full respect to the Obas and agreed.
“We Obas can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he had invested so hard to build his name and that can not be tarnished and rubbished by anyone.
“Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherished his name and the world has heard him loud and clear.
“Dele Farotimi is your son, we give birth to different children in this world and as elders when our children offend us as Yoruba after a little spank, we also pardon such children.”
Babalola in his response, said he had received several letters and calls on the issue, particularly from who is who in the society and had no choice than to succumb to the latest pleas by the monarchs.
He added that he had nothing to gain in the imprisonment of Farotimi.
He said that he would direct his lawyers to withdraw the case.
Other traditional rulers who accompanied the Ooni to Afe Babalola’s were the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, Oba Ilori Faboro, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Alagbado, and the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju.
The legal luminary said he has decided to drop the criminal defamation charges against the Lagos based human rights activist following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, and other prominent traditional rulers in the country.
Aare Babalola said he had ignored interventions from different Monarchs and personalities within and outside the country, but had to yield to the appeals of the traditional institutions, adding that the statement of an Oba in Yoruba tradition from time immemorial is a command.
“I rejected an oil block and defended the EFCC law and also rejected Ministerial nominee twice, I’m wondering why any one would just wake up and try to rubbish all he had laboured for.
Recall that Farotimi had published a book titled “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” where he alleged that the elder statesman corrupted the Judiciary.
Among those who had earlier appealed Babalola but met a rock are former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kukah, and the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential Election, Peter Obi.
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