Veteran journalist and former presidential aide Laolu Akande has urged the Afenifere group to publicly address the involvement of Chief Afe Babalola in the ongoing case against Dele Farotimi. Speaking as a guest on Sunrise Daily on Channels TV on Thursday, Akande expressed concerns over the perceived abuse of power in the matter, emphasizing the critical role of lawyers in upholding the rule of law.
“First, I think Afenifere is coming very late to this matter. But, it’s better late than never. It’s commendable that they were able to find their voice, but they didn’t go as far as they needed to go,” Akande said.
The veteran journalist said further “But, they didn’t go as far as they needed to go in this matter. It’s important to call out Chief Afe Babalola on this matter. Lawyers are the ones that should showcase for us issues around the rule of law. What is appening in the case of Dele Farotimi is an abuse of power. To find out that prominent lawyer that we all respect is the cause of this, it’s important for Afenifere to point this out to him in a public way. Without a doubt, it is Afe Babalola’s name that is being dragged.”
He argued that the prominent lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, has erred in pursuing criminal defamation charges, particularly since such laws no longer exist in Ekiti State. “The choice of Afe Babalola going the route of criminal defamation is a poor decision. Criminal defamation is no longer in the books in Ekiti state. I wish Mr. [Olawale] Fapounda, SAN the former Attorney-General of Ekiti, can come out on this,” he stated.
Akande called for a more frontal approach from Afenifere, stressing that silence or subtle criticism would only exacerbate the situation. “Afe Babalola is an example. He cannot afford to do this for too long. It’s getting messy already. And it can get messier. I expected Afenifere to be more frontal,” he added.
Turning to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) recent largest single-day arrest, Akande commended the agency’s leadership for apprehending 792 suspects, including 192 foreigners, in a 7-floor building in Lagos. He described the operation as a significant achievement but also highlighted the alarming scale of criminal activities uncovered.
“You will wonder how long this kind of conduct has been going on in a very auspicious location in Lagos, for that matter. The involvement of a significant number of foreigners, who are clearly the brains behind this thing, and what I will call the perversion of our own young people, is mind-boggling,” Akande noted.
He also stressed the urgency of addressing youth unemployment as a root cause of criminal activities. While acknowledging the efforts of the government and society, he emphasized the need for more comprehensive reforms. “We need to stress the urgency. They could just get 500 Nigerian youths—they must also know that this was a crime because it’s something that is based on deceit,” Akande remarked.
On deeper societal issues, Akande pointed to a moral crisis contributing to the degradation of values among Nigerian youth. “We have become a people where even parents think it’s cool to get somebody to sit exams for their wards. There are ‘miracle centres’ where everybody wants to go. We have settled down to just accept these things,” he lamented.
Addressing concerns about the EFCC’s capacity to prosecute the suspects, Akande advocated for the establishment of special courts to expedite cases involving corruption and economic crimes. “We have to go back to the idea of Special Courts. That idea has always been on the table, off and on, especially for corruption crimes and economic crimes, so they are quickly disposed of. That is the only solution that I see,” he stated.
