It was learned that the Ooni of Ife called a meeting at midnight with five other traditional leaders in Babalola’s Ado-Ekiti home.
Information has surfaced about how six prominent Yoruba monarchs persuaded nonagenarian legal star Afe Babalola to abandon his criminal defamation lawsuit against lawyer and human rights advocate Dele Farotimi.
Five other prominent traditional leaders were reportedly summoned to Babalola’s Ado-Ekiti home on Sunday night by Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife.
Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, the Ewi of Ado; Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo, the Ajero of Ijero; Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu, the Ogoga of Ikere; Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II, the Alaaye of Efon Alaaye; and Oba Ilori Faboro, the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, who also serves as Chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, are among the powerful delegation.
Just after 10 p.m. on Sunday, the Ooni of Ife and other notable traditional leaders arrived in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.
Farotimi was detained by Ekiti State police earlier in December at his Lagos office and taken to Ekiti State to face charges.
The author of the book “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” who claimed that nonagenarian legal icon Afe Babalola had corrupted the system and obtained a revised Supreme Court ruling, was arrested by the police.
The defendant was placed in jail for three weeks before being released on bail after entering a not guilty plea to all of the allegations against him, which bordered on criminal defamation.
When the Ooni of Ife and the five leading monarchs arrived at Babalola’s home on Sunday evening, they requested forgiveness from Farotimi and the dismissal of the criminal defamation lawsuit brought against him from Ado Ekiti, the founder of Afe Babalola University.
According to Moses Olafare, a spokesman for the Ooni of Ife, the meeting also included members of Babalola’s legal team that is handling Farotimi’s criminal case.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and numerous other notable Nigerians begged Babalola to drop the issue, but he refused, he said at the closed-door meeting that concluded after midnight.
However, being an experienced senior statesman, the Ooni of Ife and the other kings convinced the nonagenarian to drop the charges.
According to Olafare, the Ooni told Babalola, “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, and 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.”
As traditional rulers, we have gathered to talk with you about this matter. Since Dele Farotimi is your son, you should pardon him and drop the criminal accusations against him. Dele Farotimi is one of your tough boys; as a father, you have both gentle and rough sons. It is true that you have said that your name cannot be tampered with.
Babalola agreed to speak when requested, stating that he was raised to comprehend these kinds of intrusions by the traditional rulers. He said that in addition to forgiving Farotimi, he would also give his attorneys the order to immediately drop the criminal accusations against him.
I’m a Yoruba man, and I’m glad to be one, so today is significant to me. Ewi of Ado has come to meet with me over this issue; former President Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and numerous other notable Nigerians have also stepped in to beg for the same thing you have come for this evening. I have responded “no” to them, but today I am saying “yes.”
“Who am I? Your arrival cannot be measured in monetary terms. Yoruba land was a highly organized civilization with a sophisticated system of administration until colonialists arrived here in the 17th century or so. Each town was led by an Oba, who was thought to be a human representation of God. His statements were orders.
“I didn’t use corruption to win cases.”
Babalola claimed that because he doesn’t want anything to compromise his integrity, he has turned down government posts and other alleged prizes.
He declared, “Yes, I am corrupt; I was given an oil block. I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law.” Yes, I am corrupt; I turned down the money when I discovered it was excessive. I turned down two offers of cabinet jobs. Yes, I am corrupt because I don’t want anyone to think that I got where I am by being corrupt.
Check out my publications. I am the chairman of Transparency International, a German organization, and I have presented anti-corruption lectures at numerous universities across the world.
“It is an attempt to discredit me when someone claims that I have won my cases through corruption. For this reason, I turned down every appeal that had been made to me before. However, I realized I was in trouble today when I learned that Ooni would be arriving.
“I will not benefit in any way by his (Dele) incarceration, and I have no desire for the alleged damages. I’m more concerned with managing the wealth I presently have than I am with acquiring more. Thus, Dele Farotimi is pardoned. This time, I answer “yes.”
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