CITIZENS COMPASS – Afe Babalola, the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has agreed to drop the defamation suit against Dele Farotimi, a Lagos-based human rights activist.
This came after the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,CFR, Ojaja II in company of other prominent Yoruba traditional rulers in Ekiti state who were at the University to broker peace.
Afe Babalola disclosed his intention to withdraw the charges while responding to the request by his guests during their visit to the School.
Ooni arrived at the venue on Sunday night and departed for Abuja on Monday.
Babalola was accompanied by the Vice Chancellor Professor Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde and other staff.
The meeting was held behind the door.
In her welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged Ooni’s love for the school’s founder and the school itself which she described as one of the leading universities in Africa.
Speaking shortly with journalists after the meeting, Ooni said, “We have come today to appeal to Aare Babalola to forgive his son; Dele Farotimi and what we want from him is to withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi today.
“Aare Afe Babalola, you are an elder statesmen, 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 statesman, 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. This what we are using to bring down the tempo in what has happened between you and your son Dele Farotimi. We have been very proud of you as a great Yoruba elder statesman. You have done great things for this race and Nigeria such that your name can never be forgotten.”
“We’ve all come together as traditional rulers to discuss with you on this issue and this gentleman Dele Farotimi is your son and you must forgive him and withdraw the criminal charges against him. As a father, you have soft sons and you have tough sons, Dele Farotimi is a tough son of yours. You have indeed made a point that your name cannot be messed with”.
“I hereby withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi” – Afe Babalola.
Responding, Afe Babalola said, “Today is a very important day for me, I’m a Yoruba man and I’m very proud to be one. Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened, same with Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening., my answer to them has been “NO” but today my answer is “YES”
Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in the 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced system of government with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.
“In the middle ages, the Greeks had a saying”the meadow that grows on the bank of a river which obeys the direction of the flood remains strong forever but the meadow that grows that disobeys the direction of the flood were broken asunder”.
” Eni ti o ba nI nkan lati se, kii wo elegan rara” meaning “those who change the world for the better do not wait to respond to criticism”
He said he had listened to the Ooni’s advice and he certainly didn’t want to be a meadow by the riverside which disobeys the flood.
“I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yes I’m corrupt, I was given an oil block, when I looked at the money and saw that it was too much , I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt, I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption. Look at my books, I’m Chairman, Transparency International based in Germany, I have given lectures against corruption with my papers in many universities globally. For someone to allege that I have won my cases through corruption, it’s an attempt to defame me, that was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me. But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I’m in a fix today. “Nkan de o”. There is nothing I’m going to gain from his(Dele) imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, I’m rather concerned on managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say “YES”.
Ooni departed the venue of the meeting at about half past midnight for his Ojaja Park in Akure from where he is expected to make his departure to Abuja on Monday.
