Renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has formally accused activist-lawyer Dele Farotimi of defamation through statements published in a recent book about Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The allegations have been brought to light through a formal petition to Ekiti State’s Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, dated November 19.
The controversy centers around Farotimi’s book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System,” which allegedly contains several damaging claims about Babalola, his law firm, and senior members of his legal team. The discovery of these contentious statements occurred when one of Babalola’s lawyers purchased the book at Murtala Muhammed Airport on November 2, 2024, leading to wider attention within the law firm.
At the heart of the dispute is a 2013 Supreme Court case involving 254 hectares of Lagos land, which Babalola’s firm successfully litigated. According to the petition, Farotimi’s book makes serious allegations about the handling of this case, suggesting improper influence over judicial proceedings. The book reportedly accuses Babalola of “corrupting the Supreme Court from ages past” and procuring fraudulent judgments to serve client interests.
The allegations extend beyond Babalola himself to include senior members of his firm, specifically naming Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro. The book allegedly claims these legal practitioners, along with the entire law office of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers), compromised the Supreme Court’s integrity through their actions.
Perhaps most striking among the accusations is the claim that Babalola used his influence within the judiciary to obstruct justice in a subsequent libel case involving the author. This particular allegation adds another layer to the complex web of accusations, suggesting a pattern of judicial manipulation rather than isolated incidents.
The timing and public nature of these allegations are particularly significant given Babalola’s standing in Nigeria’s legal community. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, his reputation extends far beyond his legal practice into education and public service, making these allegations particularly weighty.
The case raises important questions about the balance between literary freedom and professional reputation in Nigeria’s legal community. It also highlights the ongoing debate about transparency and integrity in the nation’s judicial system, with both parties representing different perspectives on this crucial issue.
The decision to address these allegations through a criminal defamation complaint to the police, rather than immediately pursuing civil litigation, suggests a strategic approach to addressing what Babalola considers serious damage to his professional reputation. This choice of forum could have significant implications for how similar disputes between legal professionals are handled in the future.
The controversy has potential implications far beyond the immediate parties involved. It touches on fundamental issues of judicial integrity, the role of legal professionals in maintaining public trust in the justice system, and the boundaries of acceptable criticism of legal practitioners and judicial proceedings.
As this situation unfolds, it will likely draw attention from across Nigeria’s legal community and beyond, potentially influencing discussions about legal ethics, judicial independence, and the responsibilities of authors when writing about legal matters. The outcome could set important precedents for how similar conflicts between legal professionals and their critics are handled in the future.
The legal community and public alike will be watching closely as this case develops, particularly given the stature of the parties involved and the serious nature of the allegations. Whatever the outcome, this situation underscores the delicate balance between protecting professional reputations and maintaining open dialogue about the functioning of Nigeria’s justice system.
