The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in company of prominent Yoruba traditional Rulers in Ekiti state was at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) on Sunday night to appeal to the founder of the university Aare Afe Babalola to withdraw the ongoing criminal case instituted against Dele Farotimi.
Ooni Ogunwusi arrived Ado Ekiti at about 10:08.p.m into the waiting hands of Aare Afe Babalola accompanied by the Vice Chancellor Professor Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde.
The Ooni went into a close door meeting with Afe Babalola, 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 who doubles as Chairman, Ekiti Council Of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ilori Faboro.
Director, Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, said having watched the scenarios surrounding the criminal case instituted against Dele Farotimi with rapt attention, the Ooni decided that it has become imperative to apply Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) method which Yoruba race was known for in the past because it’s a case between father and son.
“We have come today to appeal to Aare Babalola to forgive his son, Dele Farotimi, and what we want from him is to withdraw the criminal charges against Farotimi today.
“Aare Afe Babalola, is an elder statesman who has seen it all, one of the iconic voices in this country, a great man per excellence, a rare breed who has excelled in everything he touches, a very God fearing elder stateman, above all, one of the proponents of the Yoruba ethos of Omoluwabi which has been his strongest value that he hold in our country.
He added: “We have been very proud of you as a great Yoruba elder stateman. You have done great things for this race and Nigeria such that your name can never be forgotten.”
Responding to the request made by the Ooni and the Traditional Rulers, Aare Afe Babalola did not hesitate to accept the request, saying he grew up as a child to understand such interventions by the traditional rulers. He declared he had not only forgiven Dele Farotimi but also will instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal charges against him with immediate effect, because of the honour for the Ooni and the other Obas.
“Today is a very important day for me, I’m a Yoruba man and I’m very proud to be one. Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened, same with Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening., my answer to them has been “NO” but today my answer is “YES”
“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced system of government,with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.”
In the middle ages, the Greeks had a saying”the meadow that grow on the bank of a river which obeys the direction of the flood remains strong forever but the meadow that grow that disobey the direction of the flood were broken asunder”.
Aare Babalola concluded his response with a an Adage in Yoruba saying ” Eni ti o ba nI nkan lati se, kii wo elegan rara” meaning “those who change the world for the better do not wait to respond to criticism”
He said he had listened to the Ooni’s advice and he certainly didn’t want to be a meadow by the riverside which disobeys the flood.
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 me 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’m in a fix today. “Nkan de o”. 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 on managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say “YES”.
Ooni departed venue of the meeting at about half past midnight for his Ojaja Park in Akure from where he is expected to make his departure to Abuja on Monday.
Signed:
Otunba Moses Olafare,
Director, Media & Public Affairs,
Ooni’s Palace
