Abduljelil IssaAfe Babalola has agreed to drop his defamation lawsuit against Dele Farotimi, following a visit from Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other top Yoruba traditional rulers.
Oba Adeyeye 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.
Oba Adeyeye, the Ooni of Ife, who was accompanied by a delegation of prominent Yoruba monarchs, including the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, and several others.
Babalola who had previously sued Farotimi in an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court following Farotimi’s publication of a book titled “Nigeria and its criminal justice system” which allegedly defamed him.
Oba Adeyeye said during the meeting that “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 legal luminary said he had no choice than to succumb to the latest plea’s 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 as soon as possible.
The meeting ended at about midnight.
