Legal Showdown: Afe Babalola Files Defamation Suit Against Dele Farotimi

Legal Showdown: Afe Babalola Files Defamation Suit Against Dele Farotimi

In a recent development, esteemed legal figure and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola, has formally accused activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi… of defamation…READ MORE…

linked to a Supreme Court ruling concerning a land dispute. Babalola submitted a petition on November 19 to Adeniran Akinwale, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, outlining the details of the claimed defamation contained in Farotimi’s book.

The situation intensified when Farotimi was remanded in custody by a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti after being arrested in Lagos by officers from the Ekiti State Police Command on Tuesday. He faces a 16-count charge from the police.

Below is the full text of the petition:

The Commissioner of Police,
Ado-Ekiti,
Ekiti State.

Subject: Criminal Defamation of Aare Afe Babalola, Afe Babalola & Co, and His Lawyers by Dele Farotimi

I am writing to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co, and my lawyers Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by Dele Farotimi in his book titled “NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM,” published by Dele Farotimi Publishers. This case pertains to Suit No: SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors V. H.R.H Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.

In the matter of this suit, we represented the Gbadamosi Eletu family. The appellants had initially lost their case at the High Court and the Court of Appeal before we took on representation at the Supreme Court. The primary conflict involved 254 hectares of land in Lagos, originally sold in 1977 by the Ojomu family to the late Gbadamosi Bamidele Eletu, which was subsequently acquired by the Lagos State Government.

The Ojomu family challenged the acquisition, resulting in the High Court ruling that the acquisition by the Lagos State Government was invalid. In a landmark judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on July 13, 2013, we successfully secured the Eletu family’s title to their land.

Furthermore, it is essential to note that we filed a motion for the variation of the Supreme Court’s judgment, which was granted in March 2014, thereby ensuring that the Eletu family received full recognition of their ownership.

Subsequently, several estates affected by this ruling, including Pinnock Estate and Beach Resort, initiated new legal actions against the Eletu family, attempting to undermine the Supreme Court’s judgment. Dele Farotimi represented one of these estates and subsequently engaged in discussions with affected parties without our law firm’s involvement to impose settlement terms aimed at depriving us of our professional fees.

The Lagos State Government later became involved, acknowledging the Supreme Court’s ruling and negotiating a compromise to prevent societal dislocation resulting from the judgment.

On November 2, 2024, one of my lawyers discovered Dele Farotimi’s book at Murtala Muhammed Airport, which contained numerous defamatory assertions about me and my law firm. Following the book’s release, I received numerous calls from colleagues and friends concerning its content and Farotimi’s televised statements, which further disseminated these false claims.

The defamatory statements outlined in the book include serious accusations, such as:

• Claiming I corrupted the Supreme Court for a fraudulent judgment in favor of my client.
• Asserting that I compromised the integrity of the Supreme Court through unethical practices.
• Misrepresenting my legal dealings and character in various contexts, including my interactions with colleagues and the judiciary.

These statements are categorically false and have severely tarnished my reputation. The book has been widely circulated, particularly causing distress among my peers and clients who regard me as an esteemed elder statesman.

As a prominent legal figure, my contributions to the legal profession and education over six decades have established my legacy as an advocate and leader. My accomplishments, including training numerous successful legal professionals and watermark cases in Nigerian legal history, further underscore my dedication to integrity and advancement in the field.

Moreover, it is pertinent to highlight that Dele Farotimi has himself admitted to unlawful actions that compromise the judiciary in his book, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the rule of law and ethics.

Given the gravity of these allegations and the potential damage to my reputation, I respectfully request that your office conducts a thorough investigation into this matter. We ask for the retrieval of remaining copies of the book to prevent further reputational harm, and I will undertake additional legal actions against Dele Farotimi.

Please treat this issue with the urgency it warrants to uphold the dignity of our legal system and profession.

Yours faithfully,
Aare Afe Babalola SAN
Founding Partner, Afe Babalola & Co

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