TRIBUNE ONLINE
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other prominent traditional rulers in the Ekiti state have brokered peace deal on the criminal defamation suit filed against a human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi by the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola.
Following Babalola’s petition to the police commissioner in Ekiti State that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’; the police arrested the activist lawyer and arraigned him before two courts in Ekiti last year.
Farotimi stood trial for alleged criminal defamation before an Ekiti State Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti District and as well for alleged cyber-bullying before the Ado Ekiti Division of Federal High Court.
The magistrate court subsequently adjourned the case till February 13 and the Federal High Court till January 29 after granting him bail.
To address the issues before Wednesday’s adjournment date, Ooni led other top traditional rulers to the nonagenarian around midnight on Sunday in ABUAD.
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.
The Ooni, who spoke on behalf of other Yoruba monarchs, had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court.
Acknowledging Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, Ogunwusi said that the reputation and legacies built by the elder statesman would stand the test of time.
According to him, “We have come today to appeal to Aare Babalola to forgive his son; Dele Farotimi and what we want from him is to withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi today.
“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 par excellence, you are a rare breed who has excelled in everything you have touched in this life, a very God fearing elder statesman, 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.
“This is what we are using to bring down the tempo of what has happened between you and your son, Dele Farotimi. We have been very proud of you as a great Yoruba elder statesman. You have done great things for this race and Nigeria such that your name can never be forgotten.
“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 cannot be messed with.”
Responding, Babalola, who spoke on the value of Yoruba traditional institutions in the country added, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt.”
The senior advocate said that he felt so bad that Farotimi accused him of winning all his cases through corruption; hence, he rejected all earlier appeals to him to take the cases out of court.
He listed those who had appealed to him to take the matter out of court including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe, among others.
According to him, “Today is a very 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”
“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.
“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who am I? When the colonists 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.
“In the Middle Ages, the Greeks had a saying “The meadow that grows on the bank of a river which obeys the direction of the flood remains strong forever but the meadows that grow that disobey the direction of the flood were broken asunder.
“Eni ti o ba ni nkan lati se, kii wo elegan rara (those who change the world for the better do not wait to respond to criticism).
“I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, I was given an oil block, when I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yet I’m corrupt, I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it, yet 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, which was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me. But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I’m in a fix today. “Nkan de o”.
“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”.
Connect with us on our socials: