Activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi revealed on Sunday that he is still facing four separate civil suits filed in different states, despite the withdrawal of criminal charges against him.
The suits, all stemming from his book ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ were filed by members of the Aare Afe Babalola law office.
Farotimi’s revelation came during an interview on the Toyin Falola Interviews, where he discussed the ongoing legal battles he faces following the defamation case initiated by Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) in January.
Babalola had accused Farotimi of defaming him in his book, leading to the lawyer’s arrest and subsequent arraignment in Ekiti.
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However, following the intervention of traditional leaders, including the Ooni of Ife, Babalola announced he would withdraw the case.
Although the police withdrew criminal charges against Farotimi, the activist is still confronted with four civil suits related to the book.
Farotimi expressed frustration over the ongoing legal proceedings, insisting that his work was a well-researched critique of Nigeria’s judicial system rather than a personal attack on individuals.
“I didn’t write the book in a moment of idle talk. I wrote a book, well-researched, documenting the truth of what I saw,” Farotimi said, defending his work as an attempt to bring attention to systemic corruption within the Nigerian legal system.
He emphasised that his aim was never to tarnish anyone’s image, particularly not Afe Babalola, but to highlight the broader issues plaguing the judiciary.
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Farotimi also dismissed claims that the issue was a personal vendetta, stressing that the real trial is not his reputation but the state of Nigeria’s legal system.
“This is not a trial of Dele Farotimi. It’s a trial of the system we’ve built,” he stated.
He further criticised those who criticised his book without reading it, calling them “intellectually lazy” and lamenting that Nigerians have become more accustomed to deception than to confronting uncomfortable truths.
Farotimi’s ongoing legal struggles reflect the broader challenges of reforming a judicial system he believes is deeply flawed.
