Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, has agreed to withdraw the defamation and cyberbullying cases against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi. This decision comes after the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other top Yoruba traditional rulers.
The case began when Babalola petitioned the police commissioner in Ekiti State, alleging that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’. Farotimi was subsequently arrested and arraigned before two courts in Ekiti for alleged criminal defamation and cyberbullying.
However, after a midnight meeting with the Ooni and other traditional rulers, Babalola agreed to withdraw the cases, stating, “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case” ¹. The Ooni assured Babalola that his reputation remained intact, saying, “Your name is more than silver and gold, and no one can tarnish.
Babalola had initially resisted appeals from notable figures, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Matthew Kukah, to withdraw the case. However, he yielded to the collective request of the Yoruba traditional leaders, citing the importance of the Yoruba traditional institution and the influence it wields.
The withdrawal of the case marks a resolution to the legal standoff and underscores the enduring influence of traditional leaders in resolving disputes in Nigeria.