Make you no let Dele Farotimi case spoil your legacy – na Effiong tell Afe Babalola

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has told Naija legal icon, Afe Babalola, not to allow di alleged defamation case of Naija lawyer cum activist, Dele Farotimi, to define his legacy built for over six decades in di legal profession.

According to reports dat Effiong spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, ‘Inside Sources with Laolu Akande.

According to him, di Senior Advocate of Naija at his age is mindful of a sense of history and legacy; however, not every offence requires di use of di sledgehammer.

Effiong said criminal defamation is not a serious offense dat requires a pesin to spend years in prison.

He said, “Di name Afe Babalola is an institution in dis country. I don’t know if there’s a lawyer today older than him or a senior advocate.”

“I mean he’s a father of senior advocates so I would have thought, and I say dis with all sense of responsibility and humility, dat for dat age, he’s mindful of a sense of history and legacy.”

“I don’t want dis to define him. Dis case should not be his legacy.

If I get to di age of 80, if God preserves my life and I get to di age of 80 and 85, I’ll be circumspect.

It is not every offense dat I will use a sledgehammer, dat I will invoke institutions of state no mata how offensive what said was.

“I mean even if assuming you were to be convicted, it’s not an offense dat you will spend years in prison.”

“One year, maybe two, so it’s not like a serious felony dat you will spend 17 years so.”

Effiong also slammed di police for dia harassment of Farotimi, stressing dat dem dey incapable of reforms.

He added, “I’m no dey surprised say di police dey do wetin dem do.”

“Di police for Naija dey incapable of reform. Di police no dey reformable and I say dat without apology.

“Di police for Naija don dey privatized.”

“I bin dey read publication wia di IG (Inspector General) talk say di judiciary dey sick and weak di same police wey make di judiciary sick and weak na di same IG whose institution no dey obeying court orders, dey detain Naija illegally?”

“Di police be di major culprit of di bastardization of our judicial process, di bastardization of our correctional service so we need to dey careful.”

“E dey looks like those pipo wey go afta Dele Farotimi dey determined to vindicate demself because if pesin dey come out to talk in a very acerbic language about di institution wey him be member.”

“E mean say dat same judiciary need dey careful.”

“I go wan believe say di same judiciary go dey self-aware say no be only dis pesin dey on trial and should be mindful to avoid anything wey go give us a semblance of impropriety because of pesin accusation di judiciary of wrongdoing.”

Dele Farotimi

Dele Farotimi na Naija lawyer, human rights advocate, and good-governance activist.

E dey known for him vocal criticism of government policies and advocacy for justice and transparency.

Recently, Farotimi don dey for di news because of him arrest and detention by di police from Ekiti State, based on one petition by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, wey allege say Farotimi defame am for him book, “Naija and its Criminal Justice System”.

Di arrest of Farotimi don spark widespread outrage among Naija, wey dey am as anoda example for di “big man syndrome” for Naija, wia rich and influential pipo fit use di police to arrest and detain pipo indefinitely, even for civil or bailable offences.

Farotimi dey currently in prison custody for Ekiti State, and him detention don draw condemnation from human rights advocates and civil society groups.

Former Vice President of Naija, Atiku Abubakar, don describe Farotimi’s detention as one glaring example of di pervasive climate of impunity and rights violations for di country.

Atiku talk say Farotimi dey prosecuted under one law wey no even exist for Ekiti State, and e raise concerns about di misuse of di cyberbullying law to target dissenting voices.

Farotimi don plead not guilty to all 16 counts of criminal defamation wey dem charge am with, and him lawyer don file application to challenge di court’s jurisdiction to try di case.

Di hearing of di bail application don dey postponed multiple times, extending Farotimi’s remand by at least anoda10 days3.

Farotimi’s case don highlight di challenges facing Naija’s democracy and rule of law, and e don draw attention to di need for credible journalism and sustained anti-corruption advocacy.

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