Farotimi: Afenifere Commends Babalola For Deferring To Ooni, Yoruba Obas

The pan-Yoruba sociocultural organisation, Afenifere, has commended the legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola for demonstrating the gentleman ethos, commonly called ‘Omoluabi’ by respecting the wishes of Yoruba Obas regarding the criminal case he filed against Barrister Dele Farotimi.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere also applauded the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and other monarchs for the bold step they took in resolving the dispute.

It would be recalled that Aare Babalola had dragged the human rights lawyer to court for allegedly defaming him in his (Farotimi’s) book titled: ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’.

Farotimi was granted bail in the sum of N30 million by an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti where he was arraigned.

Afenifere said, “As attested to by the legal luminary, many people have been appealing to him to forgive the young man but he refused, because of the need to protect his hard-earned reputation.

“The coming of Oonirisa, Oba Eniitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, in company of other prominent Yoruba Obas however left Chief Babalola with no choice than to succumb to the appeal by the royal fathers.

“After listening to Oonirisa, Babalola said that he has not only forgiven Farotimi, he will also instruct his lawyers to withdraw the case he instituted in the law court on the issue.”

Afenifere further stated that, “The high ranking legal icon who is also the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, said that he could not disrespect Ooni because of the high regard he has for our royal institution.

“Paraphrasing a Yoruba maxim on the need not to discountenance one’s source, Babalola said he has forgiven Farotimi as requested by the monarchs despite the fact that he had turned down the same appeals made by some other prominent Nigerians.”

According to the group, among prominent Nigerians were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Archbishop Mathew Kukah, former presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi; Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, to mention a few. “He said that his answer to them “has been NO, but today, my answer is YES”.

The statement further stated that, “By so doing, Aare Afe Babalola has demonstrated, as a true Yoruba son, certain core ethos of being an Omoluabi.
He came to defend his reputation and when he was appealed to by our foremost traditional institutions, he dropped the gauntlet. This is highly commendable,” Ajayi said in the statement.

Afenifere also applauded the Ooni and other monarchs “for the bold step they took. They acted as true elders in line with the saying ‘Agba kii wa loja, ki ori omo titun wo’ – Elders would not sit-by in a marketplace to watch the dangling head of a child!’ This act has further demonstrated the valuable roles that our Obas – who are the custodians of our culture and tradition can play in the society, if given the chance”.

Aside from Oba Adejugbe, other traditional rulers that followed Ooni to the Ado-Ekiti residence of Babalola on Sunday night were the 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.