Group Calls For Justice, Fairness In Afe Babalola, Dele Farotimi Defermation Saga

By Ayodele Oni

A Group, backing the actions of the legal luminary, Afe Babalola, SAN in his actions against the human rights activists and lawyer, Dele Farotimi has said all steps so far do not amount to persecution.

A press statement on Saturday by #JusticeforAfeBabalolaLegacy, in Ado Ekiti explained that “Mr. Dele Farotimi is not under any weight of persecution, rather he is facing prosecutorial process.”

The statement, signed by Rotimi Opeyeoluwa, maintained that “There is no persecution. It is a blatant lie. There is a judicial-prosecutorial process at play. We need to have that understanding and be so guided by this fact.

“It is no exaggeration that Aare Afe Babalola has paid his dues. Aare Afe Babalola cannot be rubbished by upstarts or emergence human rights advocates, whose stock in trade is to trade in lies and bullying.

“Advocacy is not the same things as peddling lies and resolutely failing to present as much as a shred of evidence to backup claims that has been permanently put into a self-published book.

“If somebody feels injured and seeking remedy, how is that a crime? If someone is offended and decided that his reputation of over 6o years ought to be protected, how is that odious to them. It is time to call upon all men and women of good conscience to guided by the facts of the matter.

“Today, some of us are extremely proud to be associated to the Aare, we are so enamored with him, yet we are saddened that some commentators have continued to paint the scenarios about this cases, which are incompatible with the facts of the matter.

“We have come to understand that there are certain forces who are insisting on eroding the legacies of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN. These characters are poor students of history because Aare is larger than them and has put in place enormous legacies that will stand the test of time and outlive us-all.

“We are believers in the laws of Nigeria. We are not ashamed that our country has not live true to its full potentials, yet we have no other place to call home but here.

“This is to agree that it is utterly true that ours is not a perfect union but our point of divergence with some of our compatriots who have erroneously painted our fight for justice as shrouded in a wired attempt to silence Mr. Dele Farotimi.

“Our tale has been consistent. Our icon, Aare Afe Babalola, was defamed. An injury was committed against him and he, being a lawful citizen approached the Nigerian Police for investigation of the reckless claims by Mr. Dele Farotimi. The said Mr. Dele Farotimi was duly invited and he declined.

“Aare did not hire goons to arrest Mr. Dele Farotmi. He approached the instruments of the State as a responsible citizen and yet some obviously misinformed, ill-minded and emergence commentators are expressing views not consistent with commonsense and simple decency.

“As a decent Nigerian, Aare Afe Babalola has steadfastly advocated cases in the law courts from one region to other regions in Nigeria, he believes in the rule of law and remains an unrepentant devotee of the law.

“We are determined to fight on intrepidly. Mr. Dele Farotimi has nothing to fear but the reward of his actions as prescribed by the law-nothing more, nothing short.

“Mr. Dele Farotimi read law and has practiced law for a while in the country, perhaps, many of his followers are not lawyers, hence the resort to the court of the public where they are clamoring with all kinds of illogicalities.

“We are not distracted. We are focused. We shall remain in the courts and ensure that justice is served to both Aare Afe Babalola, SAN and Mr. Dele Fatorimi. Both Aare Afe Babalola and Mr. Dele Farotimi shall have their day in the court(s), we don’t have to develop high blood pressure about this fact.”