From Lagos to Ekiti: How a 95-Year-Old Demi-God Orchestrated Dele Farotimi’s Ordeal—Stand Peacefully for Justice on December 10 -By John Egbeazien Oshodi

Dele Farotimi, a fearless lawyer and human rights advocate, now stands as a victim of an oppressive system that has spared no effort to crush him. His book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, is not just a critique but a searing indictment of the corruption embedded in the country’s institutions. For daring to expose the truth, Farotimi has been ensnared in a web of orchestrated persecution, allegedly masterminded by Afe Babalola, a 95-year-old legal icon whose personal grievances have hijacked state machinery.

This vendetta, masked as justice, began with Farotimi’s forcible abduction from Lagos—a city where he was born, resides, and celebrated the launch of his book. Ekiti police, operating far beyond their jurisdiction, stormed his Lagos office in an aggressive raid, wielding AK-47 rifles and intimidating his staff. Amid threats and physical assaults, Farotimi was forcibly taken to Ekiti against his will. Once there, the court system denied him bail, blatantly disregarding jurisdictional protocols and due process. Today, he remains in Ekiti prison, enduring conditions so brutal they amount to torture, including apparent starvation and lack of access to medical care.

A Familiar Excuse: The Hoodlum Narrative

As December 10 approaches—a day marked for Farotimi’s court hearing and planned nationwide protests—Nigeria’s authorities have begun to play their usual game. Already, whispers are spreading that “hoodlums” might infiltrate the peaceful protests, a tired excuse used time and again to intimidate Nigerians into silence.

This is the standard playbook of a regime that fears accountability. By invoking the specter of violence, they seek to dissuade citizens from exercising their democratic right to protest. But Nigerians must not fall for this narrative. This time, it is different. This time, the stakes are too high.

A Calculated Campaign of Cruelty

Farotimi’s ordeal is not incidental—it is deliberate. It is a chilling display of how state institutions can be weaponized to silence dissent. Ekiti police acted as enforcers for Babalola, Ekiti courts rubber-stamped the injustice, and now Ekiti prison has become the final piece in this machinery of oppression.

The Nigerian Bar Association has raised alarming concerns, reporting that Farotimi is being starved, denied medication, and forced to endure inhumane conditions designed to break him physically and mentally. This is no longer just about defamation; it is an orchestrated attempt to silence and destroy a man who dared to expose systemic injustices and challenge the entrenched powers of the status quo.

A 95-Year-Old Demi-God and a Captive Justice System

Afe Babalola’s immense influence has turned this case into a grotesque display of power over principle. Farotimi’s book, which was written, launched, and published in Lagos, should never have been dragged into Ekiti. But Babalola’s reach ensured that this case would unfold in his stronghold, where the police, judiciary, and prison system operate under his shadow.

This is not justice; it is tyranny. It sends a dangerous message that anyone who dares to speak out can be silenced, no matter the cost. Nigerians must not allow this to stand.

December 10: A Day for Peaceful Resistance

December 10 is not just another day—it is a defining moment. It is a day for Nigerians to rise, peacefully but powerfully, to demand justice for Dele Farotimi and accountability from those who abuse their power. Let us reject the hoodlum narrative that authorities use to stifle dissent. This protest is not about violence; it is about unity and the demand for fairness and humanity.

Let Lagos, Abuja, and Ekiti see the strength of a people united by purpose. Let the world hear our cry. The streets must fill with peaceful demonstrators, sending a message that Nigerians will not stand by while a man of integrity is destroyed by a broken system.

A Call to Nigerians and the World

Oh Nigerians, oh world, do not let this injustice continue. Farotimi’s fight is not just his own; it is a fight for every Nigerian who dreams of a nation where the rule of law prevails over the rule of power. On December 10, let us rise with one voice, not in anger but in peaceful resolve.

This is our moment to show that the hoodlum excuse will no longer work, that we will not be silenced, and that we stand for justice and humanity. Dele Farotimi’s life and legacy depend on our collective action. Let the streets resonate with our peaceful chants, and let the world see a Nigeria that will not bow to oppression.

December 10 is our day—our chance to reclaim our democracy and demand justice. Let us seize it, united and unwavering. Farotimi must not be left to suffer in silence. Together, we can ensure that his fight for justice becomes a victory for us all.

John Egbeazien Oshodi

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi, born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, is an American-based police and prison scientist, forensic/clinical psychologist, public policy psychologist, and legal psychologist. He’s a government advisor on forensic-clinical psychological services in the USA and the founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation for Psychological Health. With a significant role in introducing forensic psychology to Nigeria through N.U.C. and Nasarawa State University, he’s also a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association. He’s taught at esteemed institutions like Florida Memorial University, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, and more, and is currently an online faculty member at ISCOM University,  Weldios University and Walden University.