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By Bernard Balogun (BenPino)
Yesterday l pushed forward two postulations, postulations l considered as a foretaste to the exposition below.
In my candid opinion, the ongoing legal superiority misadventure between our revered Chief Afe Babalola and this rascal called Dele Farotimi is a needless diversion from the current hard economic reality that calls for attention from everyone of us.
What is the benefit of this needless diversion anyway?
It reminds me of a similar misunderstand between the late firebrand Gani Fawehinmi and the great Timi the Law, late Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN). Note Chief Williams was the no 1 lawyer to have be elevated to the prestigious rank of a SAN in the early 60s. Chief Awolowo was no 3 or so on the list.
It was precisely for this reason that at the inception of the Guardian newspapers, around 1982 or so, that Chiefs Obafemi and Rotimi Williams were exempted from the…simply Mr…policy of the newspapers. It meant Chief Awolowo and Chief Williams were honoured to have their Chief titles attached to their names in all stories related to these personalities. Every other persons, except members of the Military, were addressed as “Mr”. Professors and Drs were not so honoured by the newspaper.
I have gone back in history to underscore the importance the Guardian newspapers, a newspaper that prides itself the…flagship newspapers…,
attached to these individuals, both of blessed and unforgotten memories.
Now back to the story. While Chief Afe Babalola was elevated to the rank of a SAN in 1987, Gani became a SAN in Sept 2001, meaning when Chief Williams took Gani Fawehinmi to court for defamation of character in the 70s, Gani was not a SAN. Timi was.
Does this mean Dele Farotimi would soon become a SAN? No sir. Not in the foreseeable future, from what l can see.
The reason is quite clear. His controversial book titled …Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System…is replete of insults to individuals and the Nigerian institution. The title of the book and its contents are far at variance, sharply so. In communication you must be seen to INFORM, to EDUCATE, the ENLIGHTEN and ENTERTAIN the people. Unfortunately, these criteria were apparently absent in Dele’s book. Dele allowed his emotions to take the front seat, instead of his ideas, not only in this book but virtually in all his public discourse. I say this, with a deep sense of responsibility.
Since Dele Farotimi’s debut on the media space, he has demonstrated excessive emotional sentiment to override his ideas, ideas that would have helped to stimulate or provoke a healthy rational conversation. He has not convinced me as a sound stimulator of sound ideas. He should redefine his approach to national discourse.
That is the difference between Chief Abdul-Ganiyu “Gani” Oyesola Fawehinmi, GCON, SAN and Barrister Dele Farotimi. Gani discussed issues profoundly and educated or enlightened his audiences. No wonder his Report Law Books are such a huge success. The only known book written by Dele Farotimi sent him to Akure prison.
Gani Fawehinmi in his life time exhibited a true yoruba etho of an omoluabi. The Chief Obafemi Awolowo was one. Papa Awo was Chairman/Presidential candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). On the other hand, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi was founder/Presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party. Gani also had regard for the late Chief AMA Akinloye who was the National Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria ( NPN).
I am reliably informed that Chief Afe Balalola, SAN, is a member of the Labour Party. Dele is a topnotch of the Obident family, affiliated to the Labour Party.
Why this excessive disrespect to a revered yoruba elder? In the field of Law, Chief Afe Babalola chambers has mentored SANs. The current Minister of Justice of the Federation was in Afe Babalola chambers when he became a SAN. Chief Olujimi, one time Minister of Justice of the Federation was a product of Afe’s Chambers. Not just these, many Judges of High Courts and Appeal Courts Justices. Is it possible to mentor these calibre of men/women in the temper of Justice and not be influential?
Haba Dele, moderate your excessive hate-induced disrespect for seniors in the profession.
Chief Afe Babalola may have forgotten. I went to his Chambers in Adamasingba in 1983. As a reputable public notary in Ibadan, l wanted him to witness some IATA documents for me. Without ceremony, l walked straight into his office, first floor, if my memory still serves me right, that late evening. Lawyers in his Chambers who went to Akure that day had just returned and were briefing him. He stood there so unassumingly. He beckoned at me…yes young man can l help you? I did not utter a word but simply passed these documents to him. He perused and casually asked…where do you want me to sign? I pointed. He signed, applied his notary stamp. He passed the documents to me. Then he began to share banters with his lawyers. I waited. “Yes anything else, young man”, Chief Afe Babalola asked? Sir how much for the signature & stamp? “You can go”, he dismissed me. I had in my portruded trouser pocket N3,000 in N20 denominations for this important stamp. Let me not bore you, my readers with the rest of the story. IATA Approved our IATA License in that year – 1983. That was my memorable encounter with Chief Afe Babalola, SAN.
How time flies?
I am glad to say Dele was honest to himself and to his followers. He said, he does not see the hand of Tinubu in this. Surprisingly, his Obidient supporters still brought in the FG.
Shall we tell ourselves some bitter truth? I am convinced Dele went too far to even disparage the courts in Nigeria. The temple of Justice he swore to promote and protect as a graduating law student. If it were the personality of our revered Afe Babalola he openly maligned and discredited, that would have been understandable. Chief Afe Babalola certainly knows how to wash his himself clean with an effective antiseptic soap But going as far as openly disparaging and treating the courts in Nigeria with so much disdain and contemptuous remarks, a reputable arm of the government, certainly no responsible government anywhere in the world would take such excessive rascality lightly. Courts all over are treated with sacramentious reverence.
It is gradually becoming an unpleasant experience within the legal armament for junior lawyers to try to rubbish the dignity of their “senior learned silk”.
The point l try to postulate is that times are changing. In the early 80s when that of Gani/Rotimi happened, Rotimi approached the courts to redeem his image. Whereas in 2024 when that of Afe/Dele happened, Afe approached the Police, then the court. This approach l tagged the “long road to justice”.
And l think it is a deliberate decision to genuinely cut or curtail the excesses of Dele. Naturally, lawyers are known and regarded as “introverts”. They rarely talk openly, except invited to make contributions on sundry national discourse. Of course, there are few exemptions. We had radical lawyers like the late Aka Bashorun, late Olu Onagorawa, late Gani Fawehinmi and of late, Femi Falana. These were brilliant men of the wig who had respect for their elders in the profession and in the larger society. They never frontally attack personalities, they brilliantly marshalled their points maturely.
Dele, unfortunately did not recognise that times have changed. His approach to issues are usually hate-induced and often does not address the vexed national matters.
The point must be made, the older generation are intolerant of the younger generation level of radicalism, recklessness and lack of proper mannerism in understanding and dissecting national issues. Such disdainful approach is not limit to the legal profession. Again there is an exemption. The journalism profession. Yes there were many radical journalists in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. But their rascality ended on field. In and outside the newsroom, respects are appropriately accorded to seniors.
Finally, l will encourage Dele to moderate his language in the media space. He is too pessimistic about his country. Where is his sense of patriotism? That your preferred presidential candidate did not win the 2023 elections dont mean the Nigerian State must crumble. Purge yourself of the egotistic tendency. That destroys fast. That your candidate lost out today does not mean he cant win tomorrow. Do not destroy your tomorrow because of today’s event.
Enough of this needless hatred and rascality in the public space. Posterity is recording you.
Balogun (BenPino) writes from Abuja
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