Afe Babalola Withdraws Defamation Suit Against Dele Farotimi After Yoruba Monarchs’ Intervention

Legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has withdrawn the defamation and cyberbullying charges filed against activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi. The decision came after the intervention of prominent Yoruba monarchs, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

The dispute stemmed from Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, in which he alleged that Babalola had engaged in corrupt practices and won cases through improper means. The accusations led to legal action, with Farotimi facing charges in two courts in Ekiti State. Despite previous appeals from figures such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Catholic Bishop Mathew Kukah, Babalola remained firm in pursuing the case, citing damage to his reputation.

However, during a midnight meeting at ABUAD attended by several Yoruba traditional rulers—including the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole; and the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu—the monarchs urged Babalola to withdraw the suit.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Ooni of Ife reassured Babalola that his legacy remained untarnished, stating, “Your name is more than silver and gold. Nobody can tarnish your name.”

Babalola, acknowledging the role of Yoruba tradition in conflict resolution, agreed to drop the case. “There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment or damages. I am not in quest of more wealth but to use what I have for the benefit of others,” he said.

The decision marks the resolution of a case that had divided public opinion. While some saw Babalola’s legal action as a necessary defense of his reputation, others believed that the matter could have been settled outside the courtroom. With the intervention of Yoruba elders, the dispute was ultimately resolved through dialogue and cultural diplomacy.

Farotimi, a vocal critic of Nigeria’s judicial system, has not publicly responded to the latest development. However, the withdrawal of the case signals an end to the legal battle, reinforcing the role of traditional institutions in conflict resolution in Nigeria.

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