Details have emerged on how six prominent Yoruba monarchs successfully persuaded renowned nonagenarian legal luminary Afe Babalola to withdraw his criminal defamation case against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
It was revealed that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, led the delegation of traditional rulers to Babalola’s Ado-Ekiti residence on Sunday night.
The delegation included the Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; the Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo; the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu; the Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II; and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ilori Faboro, who also serves as Chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers.
The monarchs arrived in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, shortly after 10 p.m. on Sunday and proceeded to Babalola’s residence.
The case against Farotimi stemmed from his book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, in which he alleged that Afe Babalola had influenced the judiciary and secured a revised Supreme Court judgment. Farotimi was arrested in December at his Lagos office, transported to Ekiti State, and arraigned on charges of criminal defamation. He pleaded not guilty and spent three weeks in remand before being granted bail.
During the late-night meeting, which extended past midnight, the Ooni of Ife and the other monarchs appealed to Babalola, urging him to forgive Farotimi and drop the case. They highlighted his role as an elder statesman and his vast experience, emphasizing reconciliation over litigation.
Babalola acknowledged receiving similar requests from prominent figures, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Matthew Kukah, but had previously declined to withdraw the case. However, the intervention of the monarchs reportedly led him to reconsider.
Moses Olafare, the spokesperson for the Ooni of Ife, confirmed that Babalola’s legal team, which is handling the case, was also present during the meeting.
“Aare Afe Babalola, you are an elder statesman, you have seen it all, you are one of the iconic voices in this country, a great man per excellence, you are a rare breed who has excelled in everything you have touched in this life, a very God-fearing elder stateman, above all, you are one of the proponents of the Yoruba ethos of Omoluwabi which has been your strongest value that you hold in our country,” the Ooni told Babalola, according to Olafare.
“We’ve all come together as traditional Rulers to discuss with you on this issue and this gentleman Dele Farotimi is your son and you must forgive him and withdraw the criminal charges against him. As a father, you have soft sons and you have tough sons, Dele Farotimi is a tough son of yours. You have indeed made a point that your name can not be messed with.”
When asked to speak, Babalola accepted the request saying he grew up as a child to understand such interventions by the traditional rulers. He declared he had not only forgiven Farotimi but he would also instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal charges against him immediately.
“Today is an important day for me, I’m a Yoruba man and I’m very proud to be one. Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened, same with Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening., my answer to them has been ‘no’ but today my answer is ‘yes’.
“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in the 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced system of government with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.”
‘I Didn’t Win Cases Through Corruption’
Babalola said he has refused government appointments and rejected some so-called rewards because he doesn’t want anything to stain his integrity.
He said, “I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yes I’m corrupt, I was given an oil block. When I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt. I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it. Yes, I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption.
“Look at my books, I’m Chairman, Transparency International based in Germany, I have given lectures against corruption with my papers in many universities globally.
“For someone to allege that I have won my cases through corruption, it’s an attempt to defame me. That was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me. But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I was in a fix today.
“There is nothing I’m going to gain from his (Dele) imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, I’m rather concerned about managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say ‘yes’.”