January 27, (THEWILL) – Renowned legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, SAN, has agreed to drop criminal defamation charges against human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi.
This decision followed an appeal by foremost Yoruba monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and other prominent Ekiti monarchs, who pleaded with the legal icon to drop the charges, during a meeting held at the ABUAD campus.
An Ekiti Magistrate Court recently granted Dele Farotimi N30 million bail on the criminal defamation case brought before the court by Babalola.
He was arrested in Lagos on December 3, by officers of the Ekiti Police Command. The activist was accused of maligning and defaming the character of Babalola in his recently published book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, where he alleged that Afe Babalola corrupted the Judiciary and procured judgements in the supreme court.
Addressing newsmen late Sunday night, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said Yoruba leaders and stakeholders had been following the case keenly and decided to appeal to Aare Babalola to pardon his son, Farotimi.
He commended Babalola for building his integrity over the years, adding that no one could tarnish his name.
The monarch said: “Your name is more than silver and gold. That is what you have lived for. The whole world has seen that you don’t joke about your name. You have laboured to build the name, and no one can rubbish it. Dele Farotimi is your son. You have passed your message that what is in the name is silver and gold.”
In response to the appeal by the monarchs, Babalola said he had received several letters and calls on the issue, particularly from notable Nigerians, including former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Kukah, but he had initially rejected their appeals.
Babalola added that with the Ooni and other monarchs’ intervention, he had no option but to accede to their request. He said he would instruct his lawyers to discontinue the case.
Other prominent monarchs present at the parley included the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejuyigbe; the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oloye Ekiti; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, among others.
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