From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Proprietor and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has withdrawn his defamation case against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
The ABUAD founder had accused Farotimi of defaming him in his book, titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
Thereafter, Babalola petitioned the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State over the defamatory statement, and the police, in December last year, arrested Farotimi and arraigned him for alleged criminal defamation before the Ekiti State Magistrate Court, Ado-Ekiti, and for alleged cyber-bullying before the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court.
Prior to Babalola’s acceptance to withdraw the case, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and some prominent traditional rulers in Ekiti State held a closed-door meeting at the campus of the university in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday night.
Oba Ogunwusi, who arrived at the university campus at 10:08 pm, headed straight to the conference room where the other traditional rulers, including the Chairman of the 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 Alaaye of Efon-Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare; the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; and the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju, were seated, and the meeting commenced immediately.
At the meeting, which ended in the early hours of Monday, the Ooni and the other monarchs appealed to Babalola to see Farotimi as his son and forgive him. They requested the elder statesman to withdraw the case in court.
Speaking after the meeting, the legal giant, who said he was bothered about the allegation, explained that he decided to reject earlier interventions from different monarchs and quarters, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, and other people within and outside the country. He noted that he reconsidered his decision and hence agreed to the appeal of the monarchs.
“When you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by name, 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 the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, rather how to spend what I have for the benefit of humanity. The only time I am happy is when I give.
“I rejected an oil block and defended the EFCC law and also rejected ministerial nominees twice.
“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 traditional rulers, the Ooni of Ife thanked Babalola for accepting their appeal and commended the nonagenarian’s contributions to the development of the Yoruba race, Nigeria, and the world at large.
“Baba, you have made us proud. We are so proud of you because all of us as traditional rulers, we all came together to discuss with you on this topical issue that is so germane to us and lo and behold the gentleman we are talking about here is your son and he is a Yoruba man himself, Dele Farotimi. We are coming together as a race to take this issue from you.
“We can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so much to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbish 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. When our children offend us as Yoruba, after a little spank, we also pardon such children. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.
“We are using our race because some of our elders in Yoruba land and even beyond Yoruba land 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.
“Baba Afe Babalola, nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold, that is what you have lived for in your life.”