Respected Nigerian lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has been granted bail of ₦50 million by the Ekiti State High Court amidst a contentious defamation case involving legal titan Aare Afe Babalola.
The charges arise from Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which alleges that Babalola manipulated the Supreme Court to obtain dubious judgments in favor of his clients.
Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, has categorically denied these accusations, describing them as harmful to his impeccable reputation and distinguished career.
Initially remanded following a 16-count defamation charge, Farotimi’s legal team fiercely argued for his release, highlighting his professional integrity and the bailable nature of the accusations.
The court’s decision to grant bail is viewed as a critical moment in an ongoing legal saga that has drawn widespread attention.
This high-profile dispute brings into sharp focus the tension between freedom of expression and the protection of individual reputations within Nigeria’s judiciary and public discourse.
As the legal battle unfolds, it has become a flashpoint in debates over accountability, defamation laws, and the limits of criticism against powerful figures in the country.