The following are said with the utmost respect to all parties involved…
In my humble opinion, Baba made a mistake. When you are fighting injustice, there are at least three courts to consider:
1. Court of Law: what the law of the land says
2. Court of Public Opinion: the optics of the matter
3. Court of Conscience: what is known between you and your Maker
Yes, Baba can invoke the legal mechanisms of the land of which he is an undeniable master. The law at first glance seems to be on his side.
Now, somebody has accused you of having the judiciary in your pocket. The way to clear yourself cannot possibly be, in the most ferocious way, through the same judiciary that is alleged to be in your pocket even up to the revered Supreme Court! Even if Baba wins, the optics of the matter is that the victory is in fact proof of the allegation! It _is_ a pyrrhic victory at best!
Two, somebody has accused you of having law enforcement at your fingertips. You made sure to have him locked up for at least a week (or more, who knows?). _A kii pe'ni l'ole, k'a maa gbé ọmọ ẹran ṣ'eré!
Third, libel can be civil or criminal. You that is already on the watchlist of abusers of influence chose the criminal route. You must finish your enemy completely especially since this is not the first libel case between you two.
Fourth, you extradited your accuser from Lagos State where libel is civil, where he is based and must have published the book, to Ekiti State -- fifth -- your power base, where you are the highest taxpayer, and where libel just happens to have a criminal option! _Kàkà ko san l'ara iya àjẹ́, o fi gbogbo ọmọ b'obirin!
Sixth. This book is self published, independently published, and self promoted. I once published a book both in the UK/US for international distribution and locally for national distribution. I know the implication of what Dele Farotimi did: it appears that he feared his opponent so much that he chose to publish by himself. And, to be fair, Baba has ubiquitous influence!
Seventh… if I say this one I will be extradited to Ekiti State straight!
The masses don't fight for justice, they fight injustice. Where there are two injustices, they invariably support the weaker victim!
Libel was the first injustice.
The extradition and continued detention is a second injustice -- according to popular opinion. It is therefore easy to know why the public is buying the book and hailing the publisher.
If Baba had taken the civil route, maybe even in Lagos State, he would have taken the fight to his traducer, and the story would have been very different. The Civil Liberties_ angle would not have come in, I expect.
When fighting a smaller opponent, one must take pains to not go from victim to villain. We all remember _
David vs Goliath_, _David vs Saul_, and _Nabal vs David_. I call it _The Wisdom of Abigail_!
But what is done is done.
Perhaps in his unquestionable quest for justice Baba can support the clamour for bail lest he continues to appear, as it must seem to some, to be a power-drunk nonagenarian!
I have chosen to answer the question, _Do elders make mistakes?_, with an Affirmative YES!. Those who believe in the infallibility of parents do well to ignore my comments.
As for the third court, the court of conscience, A-L-L things shall be made bare before the One whom God Almighty had appointed as the Judge of the whole world, even the living (the quick) and the dead. -- Acts 10⁴²; 17³¹
1 Corinthians 4: 5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord Jesus Christ comes. *_He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
However quick or influential we are on earth, the Day of Reckoning beckons. Let he who has power wield it in the full cognisance of its transience! Only Jehovah has infinite power.
