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Afenifere, Obi Laud Babalola For Withdrawing Suits Against Farotimi
The decision of legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola to withdraw the defamation and cyberbullying suits he filed against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi has met with widespread commendations.
Biztellers reports that top among those praising Chief Babalola’s decision are the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere and the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, Peter Obi.
They barred their minds on Monday, according to The PUNCH.
Recall that Babalola and Farotimi had been locked in a legal battle since last year, on the grounds of Babalola’s complaint that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
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Sequel to Babalola’s petition, the Ekiti State Police Command arrested Farotimi in Lagos State and arraigned him before two courts in Ekiti.
The charges proffered against Farotimi before the Ekiti State Magistrates’ Court in Ado Ekiti and the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti, were criminal defamation and alleged cyber-bullying, respectively.
The activist was remanded for 20 days before he could perfect his bail and regain freedom on December 24, 2024.
Biztellers reported on Monday, that Babalola, revealed his intention to withdraw the court cases against Farotimi, on the intervention of Yoruba monarchs, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
In his words, “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case,” Babalola said after a midnight meeting with the traditional rulers at ABUAD.
Consequently, the Afenifere issued a reaction through its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere, who had earlier called for Farotimi’s release.
In a statement on Monday, Ajayi commended Babalola for accepting the olive branch waved by the royal fathers.
Afenifere said that by heeding the calls of the traditional rulers “Aare Afe Babalola has demonstrated, as a true Yoruba son, certain core ethos of being an Omoluabi.
“He came to defend his reputation and when he was appealed to by our foremost traditional institutions, he dropped the gauntlet. This is highly commendable.
“We also applaud Ooni and other monarchs ‘for the bold step they took’, he stated.
‘They acted as true elders in line with the saying ‘Agba kii wa loja, ki ori omo titun wo’ – Elders would not sit-by in a marketplace to watch the dangling head of a child!’
“This act has further demonstrated the valuable roles that our Obas – who are the custodians of our culture and tradition – can play in the society, if given the chance,” he added.
In a similar vein, Obi, who had also last year visited Babalola over the matter, described Monday’s outcome as positive.
Obi spoke through his media aide, Ibrahim Umar.
The former Governor, Anambra State said, “We are pleased that this matter has been resolved amicably, and we believe that this outcome is a testament to the power of dialogue, and constructive engagement. Let me set the record straight: Obi’s visit to Afe Babalola was not about begging for pardon for Dele Farotimi, but rather a genuine effort at intervention and conflict resolution.
“As a leader, Obi recognises the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes, and his actions were guided by this principle. Now, with the news that Afe Babalola has agreed to withdraw the suit against Dele Farotimi, we welcome this development as a positive outcome of Obi’s intervention.
“This decision demonstrates that Chief Babalola is also committed to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, and we commend him for this gesture. It’s worth noting that Mr. Obi’s actions were driven by his desire to facilitate a peaceful resolution that would allow all parties to move forward positively and constructively,” he stated.
At the reconciliatory meeting led by the Ooni were the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole: the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju; and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.
Babalola, who restated the importance of the Yoruba traditional institution and the influence it wielded, said, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt.”
According to Babalola, he felt so bad that Farotimi accused him of winning all his cases through corruption; hence, he rejected all earlier appeals to him to take the cases out of court.
He also listed those who earlier appealed to him to take the matter out of court, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.
He said, “If you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by names, he attacked Supreme Court judges, and none is bothered, but I am bothered. I am bothered because of where and how I started life, from the farm to where I am.
“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment, there is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not on the quest for more wealth, but rather, how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give.
“The request is simple, take away this criminal case in court. When Obasanjo wrote, he came here, I said no. When Kukah phoned and came, I said no, but on this occasion, I say yes. Thank you, Kabiyesis. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”
The Ooni, Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court, assuring him that “Nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold and you have stood for your name with the message that nobody can joke with your name.”
Oba Ogunwusi, who acknowledged Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, said, “We (monarchs) came here to discuss the matter with him and he gave full respect to the obas and agreed.
“We, the obas, can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so hard to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbished by anyone. Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherishes his name and the world has heard him clearly.
“Baba, we want to appeal and also use our race to instruct you. Dele Farotimi is your son, you may not know him, we give birth to different children in this world, some are tough, some are soft, some are hard. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.
“We are using our race because some of our elders in Yorubaland and even beyond Yorubaland have spoken, but combining forces with the traditional institution, we have heard you, enough, enough and enough. Your name is intact. We have resolved the matter in our own way, we have done the needful,” the Ooni said.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has visited some projects being executed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) across Bayelsa West District, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to the development and well-being of host communities.
The Minister, who is also the Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council, was in Bayelsa on a personal engagement and took the opportunity to visit some of the NCDMB’s projects in Ekeremor Local Government Area, including the 1.24km Link Road 2 in Ekeremor Town, the 1.250km Link Road in Ekeremor Town, and a 378kWp Mini Solar Grid, among others.
The projects are part of the NCDMB’s corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at providing critical infrastructure and making life more meaningful for people in its host communities.
’The NCDMB has continued to demonstrate its commitment to its established responsibilities, including its corporate social responsibility to host communities. These projects are targeted at improving the quality of life of our people and supporting sustainable development.”
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Lokpobiri expressed optimism that the projects would be completed and put to use in due course.
“I believe that, in due time, these projects shall be completed to offer the intended services to the public and deliver lasting benefits to the benefiting communities,” he stated.
The Minister commended the NCDMB for its interventions in the district and expressed confidence that the completed projects would contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Bayelsa West.
Citizens’ concerns over completion of ongoing negotiations before restarting oil production might be a clog in the wheel of the Federal Government’s plan for resuming oil activities in Ogoniland after 32 years.
This came to the fore because Ogoni people, under the platform of KAGOTE, representing Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas, alleged that some oil-related activities may have commenced in parts of Ogoniland while the peace process with the Federal Government is still ongoing.
Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, KAGOTE President, Chief Lesi Maol, said the development could undermine confidence in the dialogue process and create fresh distrust among the people.
Maol, however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to addressing the longstanding concerns of the Ogoni people.
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He said KAGOTE recognised the Federal Government’s decision to establish the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) and appoint National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as its chief negotiator as evidence of its commitment to finding a lasting solution to the Ogoni crisis.
The ODC was inaugurated by the Federal Government in January 2025 to engage Ogoni stakeholders on the conditions for the resumption of oil production, rebuild trust and strengthen relations between the communities and the government.
“We particularly recognise the integrity and distinguished public service record of the National Security Adviser and believe that the dialogue process, as conceived by the Federal Government, represents a genuine opportunity to achieve lasting peace and a mutually beneficial outcome for both the Ogoni people and the Federal Government,” Maol said.
He, however, expressed concern over what he described as the conduct of some members of the dialogue committee, saying their actions required urgent clarification to protect the credibility of the process.
“There is a growing apprehension among sections of the Ogoni population that certain oil-related activities may have commenced in parts of Ogoniland while consultations between the Federal Government and Ogoni stakeholders remain ongoing,” he said.
According to him, the absence of clear information from the ODC leadership has created uncertainty in the communities.
Maol said he had received several representations from concerned Ogoni communities but had been unable to provide definitive answers because of the lack of authoritative information.
KAGOTE therefore urged the ODC and Federal Government to clearly communicate the status of oil activities in Ogoniland to prevent misinformation, speculation and unnecessary tension.
He stressed that transparency would be critical to sustaining the fragile trust required to achieve a peaceful and mutually acceptable resumption of oil production in the oil-rich region.
Regulatory uncertainty and overlapping mandates among government agencies have been identified as possible investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, expressed the view at the 5th PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit (PELS) 2026 in Abuja on Wednesday.
The labour leader called for a more predictable, transparent and efficient regulatory framework to attract investment and sustain growth in the sector.
He said the theme of the summit, “Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks as a Catalyst for Stability and Growth in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry,” was deliberately chosen because investors require clear rules and predictability before committing capital to long-term projects.
He identified the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 as a major milestone in the effort to reform the industry, but noted that subsequent alterations to the framework have created uncertainty among investors.
He expressed concern over the removal of some fiscal provisions from the PIA and their movement to the Nigeria Revenue Act, as well as the use of executive orders to amend provisions of the law.
He also raised concerns about overlapping responsibilities among the various institutions regulating the oil and gas industry, saying operators should not be subjected to repetitive approvals, multiple inspections or conflicting directives.
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He said while regulation was necessary to protect workers, communities, investors and government revenues, it should not become an obstacle to investment.
Osifo urged regulators to streamline approval processes to enable operators to make timely investment decisions, noting that delays could affect new development plans, final investment decisions and production growth.
The PENGASSAN president also called for stronger protection of workers during acquisitions and divestments in the oil and gas sector. He said changes in ownership of oil and gas assets should not lead to workers losing their jobs, pensions, collective bargaining agreements and other established rights.
He equally warned against abuse of expatriate quotas, saying foreign workers should only be engaged where genuine skills gaps exist.
According to him, every expatriate engagement should be tied to measurable knowledge transfer and succession plans that would ultimately increase Nigerian capacity.
“These do not instill confidence or promote stability. Instead, they amplify uncertainty and disruption.
“What we require is not weak regulations. What we need is smarter regulations; regulations that understand commercial realities, embrace technology and eliminate unnecessary duplication.
“Capital is mobile and investors will naturally gravitate towards jurisdictions where there is clarity and efficiency.
“Licences and assets may change hands, but workers are not commodities to be discarded at will,” Osifo said.
Osifo further called for stronger enforcement of health, safety, environmental and local content regulations, stressing that increased oil production must not come at the expense of workers’ lives.
He also urged the government and industry stakeholders to accelerate investment in domestic refining, gas processing and LPG, CNG and LNG infrastructure, noting that Nigeria’s abundant gas resources could support power generation, petrochemicals, fertiliser production, transportation and industrialisation.
Osifo said Nigeria must go beyond recovering lost production and focus on unlocking new reserves, attracting fresh capital and sustainably increasing crude oil and gas output.
He called for stronger collaboration among government, regulators, operators and labour, saying sustainable investment and job creation could only be achieved through predictable policies, accountability and mutual respect.
“Without investment, there will be no project. Without projects, there will be no sustainable jobs. Without production, there will be no revenue. And without fairness and stability, none of these can endure,” he added.
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