Afe Babalola, a legal hero and elder statesman, has signalled a willingness to abandon his criminal defamation lawsuit against rights activist Dele Farotimi.
Recall that Babalola sued Farotimi in an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court after the latter published a book that allegedly defamed him.
Babalola’s decision to abandon his suit came after Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, paid him a visit on Sunday night.
The Ooni paid a visit to the older statesman’s house at Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti, or ABUAD, to plead with him to abandon the action.
The Ooni, who arrived at ABUAD at 10:30 p.m., was escorted by other prominent Yoruba traditional leaders.
Traditional rulers accompanying the Ooni were the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, and Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, among others.
Speaking during the conference, Babalola stated that he had received multiple letters and phone calls from prominent Nigerians urging him to dismiss the lawsuit.
They included Bishop Hassan Kukah and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated that he had no alternative but to heed the newest pleadings of the visiting traditional rulers.
He insisted that Farotimi’s imprisonment served no purpose for him.
Babalola informed the traditional rulers that he would have his attorneys abandon the matter.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
