Farotimi Reveals Four Pending Lawsuits from Afe Babalola’s Chamber

Nigerian lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi discloses that four lawsuits from Afe Babalola’s law firm are still pending against him, raising legal and public interest concerns.

Noted activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi has disclosed that he remains involved in four distinct lawsuits initiated by members of the Aare Afe Babalola law office across different states.

During the Toyin Falola Interviews on Sunday, Farotimi discussed his current legal issues. This comes despite Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), the Founder of Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti, previously promising to withdraw the cases against him.

On January 27, Babalola consented to withdraw the lawsuits filed against Farotimi. Nonetheless, recent statements from the activist indicate that legal proceedings are still ongoing against him.

The lawsuits originated from a petition submitted by Afe Babalola to the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, in which he accused Farotimi of defamation regarding his book titled “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.” This accusation resulted in Farotimi’s arrest followed by charges being brought against him in two separate courts within Ekiti.

As a result, Farotimi faced trial for alleged criminal defamation at an Ekiti State Magistrate Court in the Ado Ekiti District and was also charged with alleged cyber-bullying at the Federal High Court’s Ado Ekiti Division.

Babalola announced that he was withdrawing the case against Farotimi, attributing his decision to the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, along with other prominent traditional rulers.

During Sunday’s discussion, themed “Politics, Law and Society,” Farotimi revealed that although the police had dropped criminal charges against him after Babalola withdrew his petition, he is still dealing with four civil lawsuits in various states. These suits were all filed by members of Babalola’s law firm.

He revealed, “I am unable to address certain aspects of this issue because, even though the criminal proceeding has been discontinued, I am still facing four lawsuits in different states across the federation. These suits have all been filed against me by members of the same law office.”

Farotimi stressed that his book was not created from idle conversations or unfounded claims; instead, it is a thoroughly researched work capturing his experiences and observations of the Nigerian judicial system.

“I didn’t lounge around in a pub or socialize at an officers’ mess; I wasn’t engaging in gossip. It wasn’t mere idle chit-chat. I authored a book,” he proclaimed. “Let’s focus on the truth—anyone can read it and then try to confront me about any falsehoods I’ve included.”

Rejecting allegations that the controversy over his book is a personal matter, Farotimi emphasized that it is not his reputation on trial, but rather the Nigerian legal system.

“This is not Dele Farotimi’s trial. Let no one make that mistake. It is a trial of the legal system we have collectively built,” he emphasized.

He reiterated that his controversial book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System,’ is not intended as an attack on individuals, including esteemed legal figure Chief Afe Babalola. Instead, it serves as a critique of systemic corruption within the judiciary.

He emphasized that his writing was driven by a quest for justice, not by personal grievances.

“Chief Afe Babalola is certainly old enough to be my father,” Farotimi stated. “I had no intention of damaging his reputation or attacking him personally. My focus was solely on discussing the judiciary as an institution.”

Speaking, Farotimi clarified that his criticism was directed at institutional shortcomings rather than individuals.

“The book referenced several names and offices, but my intention was never to libel anyone,” he clarified. “I just described what I witnessed. All I did was write a book. Perhaps we’ve grown too comfortable with lies and resistant to truth, so much so that telling the truth now seems like an offense.”

He believes that for Nigeria to undergo significant reform, its citizens need to confront uncomfortable truths. “Our system currently rewards deception and penalizes honesty. I am facing a lawsuit not due to falsehoods but because I had the audacity to reveal the truth.”

Farotimi also condemned those who judged his book without reading it, calling their actions intellectually lazy.

He argued, “Most of those criticizing me—about ninety percent—haven’t even read the book they’re commenting on. If Nigerians were more open to reading and less dismissive, there would be no debate about the evidence I’ve presented.”