The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, visited the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), to persuade him to drop the criminal defamation case filed against a human rights lawyer and author, Dele Farotimi.

Earlier, before Ooni arrived at about 9 p.m., the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ayorinde Ilori Faboro, led other first-class monarchs to meet with Babalola behind closed doors for three hours, while awaiting Oba Ogunwusi.

While appealing to the legal icon at an expanded meeting, Ooni said the traditional rulers came to discuss an issue that was germane to them.

“And lo and behold, the gentleman we are talking about here is your son. He is a Yoruba man too. Dele Farotimi. But we are looking beyond his case. Baba Afe Babalola, nobody can tarnish your name.

“The meaning of Omoluabi is a gentleman. Baba, you have seen it all. On behalf of the traditional rulers, some of whom have been on the throne for 40 years, or 30 years, the throne we all came from is not a matter of age. It is the throne of Oduduwa, there is nobody who doesn’t have a link to it.

“A child will respect their parents, the parents will respect the elders, the elders will respect the king, and the king will respect ancestors and God who is the King of kings, that is the structure of we Yoruba,” he said.

Oba Ogunwusi, therefore, urged Babalola to drop the case in the interest of the Yoruba race that the monarchs represent and for posterity.

Responding to the monarchs, Afe Babalola said former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kuhah and countless people within and outside Nigeria have sent messages, but declined their entreaty.

His words: “Obasanjo came here, I said no. Kukah came, and I said no, but on this occasion, I said yes.

“When I heard that Ooni was coming and the Obas were waiting for him, there is nothing I am going to gain by his imprisonment or from any so-called damages.”

The only time I am happy is when I give.”

Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, said having watched the scenarios surrounding the criminal case instituted against Farotimi with rapt attention, his principal decided that it has become imperative to apply the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method, which the Yoruba race was known for in the past, being a case between father and son.