Afe Babalola: I have nothing to gain by sending Farotimi to prison

By Kingston Magare
Elder statesman and prominent Nigerian lawyer Afe Babalola SAN said he has forgiven fellow lawyer and human rights activist Dele Farotimi.
Mr. Farotimi was arraigned before an Ekiti High Court based on claims by Afe Babalola that he was defamed in Farotimi’s book “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.” Farotimi was arrested in Lagos by the police from Ekiti State and driven to Ado Ekiti to face the court. He was granted bail in late December three weeks of being remanded in prison. He has threatened to sue the police for his illegal arrest.
However, Yoruba traditional rulers led by the Ooni of Ife Enitan Ogunwusi, paid Afe Babalola a visit Sunday night to die the matter. The other monarch including the Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo; the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu; Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II; and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti Oba Ilori Faboro.
Speaking after the traditional rulers had made peace Afe Babalola said: “I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yes I’m corrupt, I was given an oil block. When I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt. I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it. Yes, I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption.
“Look at my books, I’m Chairman, Transparency International based in Germany, 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 (Dele) 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’.”