Renowned legal luminary and elder statesman, Afe Babalola (SAN), has announced his decision to withdraw a criminal defamation suit filed against rights activist and author, Dele Farotimi.
The lawsuit, brought before an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court, stemmed from allegations of defamatory statements in Farotimi’s book titled Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. The court granted Farotimi bail for ₦30 million.
Babalola’s decision to withdraw the case follows a visit to his residence at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, accompanied by other prominent Yoruba traditional rulers. The visit, which took place on Sunday night at around 10:30 p.m., was aimed at persuading Babalola to drop the charges.
The delegation of traditional rulers included the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, and the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, among others.
Speaking during the meeting, Babalola disclosed that he had received numerous letters and phone calls from eminent Nigerians urging him to forgive Farotimi. Among those who had previously appealed to him were former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria explained that he had nothing to gain by seeing Farotimi jailed and expressed readiness to heed the pleas of the visiting traditional rulers. He assured them that he would instruct his legal team to withdraw the case.
During the meeting, the Ooni emphasized the importance of unity among Yoruba leaders and institutions. He noted that the traditional leadership had been closely monitoring the situation and resolved to intervene, appealing to Babalola to “pardon his son, Farotimi.”
The Ooni also lauded Babalola’s exemplary integrity and urged him to maintain his esteemed reputation.
The meeting concluded around midnight, marking a peaceful resolution to the matter.
