Yoruba lawyers under the aegis of Egbe Amofin O’odua have urged Nigerians to allow the courts to decide the legal tussle between leading lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola SAN and fiery human rights lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi.

CITY LAWYER recalls that Farotimi had authored a controversial book titled Nigeria and its criminal justice system which has led to criminal defamation charges against him at both Magistrate’s court and Federal High Court.

Responding to the face-off, Egbe Amofin noted that Babalola “is therefore entitled to protect and defend his hard earned reputation and career without inhibition, just like Dele Farotimi had exercised his right to freedom of expression in publishing his book.”

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, the association wrote: “We call on Nigerians to respect the decision of the man who feels there is injury to his name and reputation to seek redress in court and allow the court to decide all pending cases without distraction. Let the law take its course.”

Below is the full text of the statement.

RE: AARE AFE BABALOLA V. DELE FAROTIMI: LET THE LAW TAKES ITS COURSE – EGBE AMOFIN OODUA

The Egbe Amofin Oodua has watched with keen interest the national controversy generated by the publication of a book, “Nigeria and Its Justice Criminal System” by Dele Farotimi and his consequent arrest and arraignment for criminal defamation arising from the complaint by Aare Afe Babalola, SAN and others who feel that certain contents of the book as published are false and had injured their hard-earned reputation in the eyes of right-thinking men in the society.

In the said book, the author, Dele Farotimi, well aware that Aare Afe Babalola, SAN would find some of the contents offensive and injurious to his name and reputation, wrote : “I did not know how long any of us had to live and I did not want to be dealing with the idiotic argument that I could envision, of Afe’s Proteges, arguing that I was slandering the dead if the book was to be published after his dead (sic). He is already well in his 80s – I have offered the opportunity to defend himself.”

The defence envisaged by the author, Dele Farotimi, in the law of the land lies in both criminal and civil actions and nobody can dictate to a man who feels injured on what option to take to protect or defend his reputation and name, as long as the option chosen is within the law of the land.

Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, is no doubt one of the greatest advocates of our time, an accomplished publisher, a renowned philanthropist, a brilliant school administrator, amongst others, has (sic) contributed his own quota not only to the development of our legal profession, but in also to our educational system, impacting millions of lives positively. He is therefore entitled to protect and defend his hard earned reputation and career without inhibition, just like Dele Farotimi had exercised his right to freedom of expression in publishing his book.

We call on Nigerians to respect the decision of the man who feels there is injury to his name and reputation to seek redress in court and allow the court to decide all pending cases without distraction. Let the law take its course.

Mogaji Isiaka Abiola Olagunju SAN
CHAIRMAN,

Adetunji Osho
SECRETARY
GOVERNING COUNCIL OF EGBE AMOFIN OODUA

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