Afe Babalola Withdraws Criminal Defamation Suit Against Dele Farotimi

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola SAN, announced on Monday that he would drop the legal cases against activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi.

Afe Babalola made the decision after intervention from traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

The dispute began after Babalola accused Dele Farotimi of defaming him in a book titled “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.”

Following a petition to the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Farotimi was arrested and charged with criminal defamation and cyberbullying.

He was arraigned in both a magistrate court and a Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti, where he faced a 16-count charge.

At a midnight meeting held at Afe Babalola University and attended by prominent Yoruba monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Babalola agreed to withdraw the case.

Speaking at the ABUAD, he said, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt. I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case.”

Babalola revealed that notable figures like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe had urged him to drop the case, but he had refused until this recent appeal.

Also in attendance were the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, 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 expressed frustration over Farotimi’s claims that he had won cases through corruption, but he acknowledged there was nothing to gain from pursuing the legal battle.

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.”

Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, the Ooni assured Babalola that his reputation was untouchable, saying, “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.”

He praised Babalola’s contributions to the Yoruba community and urged him to treat Farotimi as a son who may have gone astray.

Ooni 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.”

In the petition dated November 19, 2024, Afe Babalola had alleged that Farotimi’s book defamed him by accusing him and other senior lawyers of influencing Supreme Court justices through corruption.

KanyiDaily recalls that the defamation case had led to Dele Farotimi’s arrest in Lagos and subsequent detention in Ado Ekiti.