Afe Babalola Drops Defamation Lawsuits Against Dele Farotimi
Aare Afe Babalola SAN, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, decided early Monday to withdraw the legal cases he had filed against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, according to reports from News360 Nigeria.
The legal battle began when Babalola lodged a complaint with the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, accusing Farotimi of defaming him in his book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. As a result, Farotimi was arrested and brought before two courts in Ekiti State on charges of criminal defamation and cyberbullying.
Farotimi faced trial at an Ekiti State Magistrate Court for the alleged defamation and also at the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court for the cyberbullying accusations. However, after the intervention of prominent traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Babalola announced he would withdraw the cases. He declared, “I will instruct my lawyers to withdraw the case.”
The meeting, which took place at ABUAD, was attended by several high-ranking traditional leaders, including Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro (Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers), Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe (Ewi of Ado Ekiti), Oba Joseph Adewole (Ajero of Ijero Ekiti), Oba Adejimi Adu (Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti), Oba Michael Ademolaju (Oloye of Oye Ekiti), and Oba Emmanuel Aladejare (Alaaye of Efon Ekiti).
Babalola praised the Yoruba traditional institution for its role in resolving the matter, saying, “The monarchs have appealed to me over the criminal charge involving someone who called me corrupt.”
Initially, Babalola had resisted calls to drop the case, citing the harm caused by Farotimi’s allegations of corruption and his claims that Babalola had manipulated the judicial system. He mentioned that figures such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Catholic Bishop Mathew Kukah, and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti had previously tried to mediate, but he had refused.
He explained, “I do not seek more wealth, but wish to use what I have for the benefit of others. I gain nothing from Farotimi’s imprisonment or any supposed damages. The request is simple: take the criminal case out of court.” He also expressed his gratitude to the monarchs for their intervention, stating, “This time, I say yes. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”
The Ooni of Ife, speaking on behalf of the Yoruba monarchs, reassured Babalola that his name could not be tarnished. He highlighted Babalola’s contributions to both Yoruba and Nigerian society, emphasizing that his reputation remained intact. He added, “We, the obas, testify to your hard work, Baba. Your name cannot be tarnished by anyone. We have resolved this matter in our way.”
The initial petition, filed on November 19, 2024, by Babalola to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, claimed that defamatory statements in Farotimi’s book damaged his reputation. Farotimi was subsequently arrested in Lagos and transported to Ado-Ekiti, where he faced multiple charges. These allegations stemmed from the book’s assertions that Babalola, along with other Senior Advocates of Nigeria, influenced Supreme Court justices through corrupt practices.
