The founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola has agreed to drop all defamation charges against the human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
The decision of Babalola was sequel to the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and other prominent traditional rulers.
Mr Dele Farotimi had authored a book “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System where he alleged that Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Judiciary and procured judgements in the supreme Court which led to his arrest and arraignment in court for defamation.
Addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, Aare Babalola said different traditional rulers and personalities both within and outside the country including Bishop Kukah and former President Olusegun Obasanjo have been on his neck to pardon Mr Farotimi
He said as a Yoruba man, he has no choice than to obey the commandments of the traditional institutions led by Ooni of Ife, adding that the statement of an Oba in Yoruba traditional from time immemorial is a command.
Earlier, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Oguwusi had appealed passionately to Babalola to consider the various forces and personalities that have intervened in the matter including former president Obasanjo to please pardon Mr Dele Farotimi.
The monarch praised Aare Babalola and commended his contributions to the development of the Yoruba race, the Nation and the world at large, saying the legal luminary has done things that inscribed his name in gold.
Ooni of Ife said the Obas can attest to the hard work of Aare Babalola and how he had invested so hard to build his name and that can not be ternished and rubbished by anyone.
