Legal icon and elder statesman, Afe Babalola, has expressed his willingness to withdraw the criminal defamation suit he filed against rights activist, Dele Farotimi.
Babalola had sued Farotimi over alleged defamatory content in a book published by the activist, which the legal luminary claimed tarnished his reputation.
Babalola’s decision to reconsider his stance followed a visit by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Sunday night.
The Ooni, accompanied by several prominent Yoruba traditional rulers, visited Babalola at his residence in Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) to appeal for the withdrawal of the suit.
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The royal delegation, which included the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, and Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, among others, urged Babalola to reconsider his legal action in a bid to foster peace.
In his address, Babalola revealed that he had received numerous calls and letters from eminent Nigerians, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Hassan Kukah, urging him to withdraw the case.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, acknowledging the pleas of the traditional rulers, said he had no desire for Farotimi to face imprisonment.
“I have nothing to gain in Farotimi being jailed,” Babalola remarked, assuring the traditional rulers that he would instruct his lawyers to withdraw the suit. The meeting, which took place late into the night, concluded around midnight.
The Ooni of Ife, speaking at the gathering, emphasized that Yoruba leaders and the traditional institution had been closely monitoring the issue. He expressed gratitude to Babalola for his long-standing integrity and appealed to him to pardon his “son,” Farotimi.
In response to the intervention, Babalola pledged to take the necessary legal steps to end the case. The suit, which stemmed from Farotimi’s controversial book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, had earlier seen the court grant the activist a N30 million bail.
The intervention by the traditional rulers is seen as a significant step toward resolving the matter amicably.
