Human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, has commended Nigerians for their collective support during his detention over allegations of defamation made against him by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola.
Thanking Nigerians for standing by him during his time in prison, regardless of tribe or religion, Farotimi, in a now-viral interview, reflected on the overwhelming support he received from Nigerians.
“We stop being humans because we became Nigerians. They divided us and we fell for it (but) Nigerians overlooked my ethnicity, my religion, and spoke for me,” Farotimi said in tears in the online video clip.
“You would not see me as a Christian, you spoke for me. Because you spoke, Nigeria could not happen to me. You found your voices, I became you and in our collective, we could not be silenced.”
In a statement on X, Farotimi declared, “I’m ready for war. I am strong enough to rumble unruffled against principalities and powers, but I am human enough to retain the capacity to shed tears of joy in appreciation of the grace of God, expressed in the concerted efforts of fellow victims.
“My battle axes are newly sharpened, my guns primed, I am ready to war.
“My resolve was NEVER tested, but I was waiting for the next round of the fight to commence. I KNEW that the first round had been lost by those responsible for my imprisonment.”
An Ekiti State magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti had remanded Farotimi for 21 days after he was accused of “criminally defaming” Babalola in a book titled: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
After being held in custody for over three weeks, Farotimi regained his freedom on December 24 upon meeting stringent bail conditions. These included a N30 million bond, two sureties (one a property owner), surrendering his passport, and agreeing not to grant media interviews post-release.
Follow us on all social media platforms @dailyquery for more stories around the globe.
