28th January 2025, NewsOrient, News
By NewsOrient Law And Society Desk
Photo Credit: Afe Babalola International Study Centre

Following the visit of the Ooni of Ife, in company of some other Yoruba Obas to him, Afe Babalola SAN, has finally agreed to “forgive” and “withdraw” the charges he made in court against Dele Farotimi, a legal practitioner.

Responding to Ooni’s intervention, Afe Babalola SAN said: “The Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former President Obasanjo has intervened. The same goes for 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.

“I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yet I’m corrupt, I was given an oil bloc; when I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yet I’m corrupt, I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it, yet I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption.

“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 was in a fix today. There is nothing I’m going to gain from his imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth; I’m rather concerned about managing the one I have already.

“Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say yes.”

NewsOrient reports that the faceoff between Afe Babalola SAN and Dele Farotimi since last year has elicited nationwide discuss on the realities and the depth of corruption both in Nigerian legal system and in Nigeria as a whole.

How Afe Babalola’s latest action will impact on the debate remains to be seen.

~ NewsOrient

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