Eminent lawyer, Aare Afe Babalola has yielded to entreaties and agreed to drop charges against Dele Farotimi.
Babalola had filed charges against Farotimi for alleged defamation in his book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.Â
Peace was brokered by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in company of some prominent Yoruba traditional rulers in Ekiti state.
A statement by Ooni’s media assistant, Moses Olafare disclosed that the royal fathers met Babalola Sunday night at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, to plead forgiveness for the human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi, urging the complainant to withdraw the ongoing criminal case instituted against the author.
Ooni Ogunwusi arrived Ado Ekiti at about 10:08pm last night into the waiting hands of Aare Afe Babalola himself accompanied by the senior officials of the University.
The Vice chancellor in her welcome speech at the meeting acknowledged Ooni’s love for the school’s founder and the school itself which she described as one of the leading universities in Africa.
“The Ooni briefed the journalists outcome of the meeting which was earlier held close door between Afe Babalola and the Ooni accompanied by Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo, the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu, Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti who doubles as Chairman, Ekiti Council Of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ilori Faboro that having watched the scenarios surrounding the criminal case instituted against Dele Farotimi with rapt attention, it has become very imperative to apply Alternative Dispute Resolution method which Yoruba race was known for in the past because it’s a case between father and son.
Olafare quoted Ooni: “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 elderstateman, 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 elderstateman, 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 what we are using to bring down the tempo in what has happened between you and your son Dele Farotimi.
“We have been very proud of you as a great Yoruba elderstateman. 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 can not be be messed with”.
When given the microphone to respond to the request made by the Ooni and the traditional Rulers, Aare Afe Babalola did not hesitate to accept 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 also will instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal charges against him with immediate effect, because of the honour for the Ooni and the other Obas.
“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”, Babalola reportedly replied.
“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced systems 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 grow on the bank of a river which obeys the direction of the flood remains strong forever but the meadow that grow that disobey the direction of the flood were broken asunder”, Babalola said.
Aare Babalola concluded his response with an Adage in Yoruba saying: ” Eni ti o ba nI nkan lati se, kii wo elegan rara” meaning “those who change the world for the better do not wait to respond to criticism”.
He said he had listened to the Ooni’s advice and he certainly didn’t want to be a meadow by the riverside which disobeys the flood.
He was also quoted : “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 me 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’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 on managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say “YES”.
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