Following a visit to him by a delegation led by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Sunday night, legal luminary Afe Babalola has said he is ready to withdraw his criminal defamation suit against Lagos lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Ooni visited the elder statesman at his residence at Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) to plead with him to withdraw the suit against Dele Farotimi.
The Ooni, who arrived at ABUAD at about 10.30 pm, was accompanied by other top Yoruba traditional rulers, including the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti and Olojudo of Ido- Ekiti among others.
Babalola had sued Farotimi in an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court following Farotimi’s publication of a book which allegedly defamed him.
The Ooni had said Yoruba leaders and the traditional institution had been following the development keenly.
The traditional ruler said that he and others resolved to intervene so that Babalola, ” can pardon his son, Farotimi.”
He commended the legal icon for building his integrity over the years and urged him not to relent following the development.
In his response, Babalola said he had received several letters as well as calls on the issue from eminent Nigerians asking him to withdraw the suit.
They included former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Hassan Kukah
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said he had no choice than to succumb to the latest pleas by the visiting traditional rulers.
He stressed that he had nothing to gain in Farotimi being jailed.
Babalola assured the traditional rulers that he would direct his lawyers to withdraw the case.
The meeting ended at about midnight.
Babalola recently dragged Farotimi before an Ekiti Magistrates’ court, claiming criminal defamation in the latter’s controversial book, ” Nigeria and its Criminal Justice system.”
The court granted Farotimi N30 million bail.
(NAN)
