BREAKING NEWS! Chief Afe Babalola in Trouble
Walaítàlàí!
I am heading to court!
And I have sworn before Almighty God that nothing, absolutely nothing, will dissuade me from suing Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, over what he did to me at the 2026 Convocation Ceremony of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.
Apart from taking him to court, I have also resolved never to forgive him!
Never!
Though I sincerely pray that God grants Baba long life, sound health and the grace to enjoy the fruits of his extraordinary labour, I cannot overlook the injustice I suffered at his university. I am therefore contemplating a ₦1 billion claim against him, and I am determined to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion!
Let nobody attempt to beg me! Not the Ooni of Ife, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti or even the Olusi of Usi-Ekiti, my ancestral royal father. If Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, or former Ondo State Governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko intervenes, I will not yield. Even if my Governor, His Excellency Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, personally appeals to me, I will respectfully decline.
I will not gree!
Chief Afe Babalola was wicked! He was callous and completely inconsiderate! I never expected such treatment from a man of his age, experience and standing. And I intend to prove my allegations with overwhelming evidence!
But what exactly happened?
Ordinarily, I dread university convocation ceremonies. Terrible traffic congestion, inadequate parking spaces, unruly crowds, overzealous security personnel, confused protocol arrangements, overcrowded halls, interminable speeches and, above all, unbearable heat have made me develop considerable apathy towards such events. Sometimes, attending a convocation becomes an endurance competition rather than a celebration of academic excellence.
So, when my friend, Joel Tolu Fagbamila, who flew in from the United States, encouraged me to attend the ABUAD Convocation, I thought twice. No, thrice! After all, gaining entrance into that university on an ordinary day can sometimes appear more difficult than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Eventually, I agreed, but not without making elaborate preparations for the anticipated ordeal.
Then Baba began his mischief!
Right from the university gate, the traffic was orderly, parking was well coordinated, and the security personnel were surprisingly calm, courteous and professional. No harassment, no unnecessary shouting, no confusion! What a nonsense! Where were the usual inconveniences associated with major Nigerian ceremonies? Had Baba deliberately decided to frustrate my expectations right from the entrance?
Inside the hall, the arrangements were even more suspicious. Beautiful decorations, excellent seating and two magnificent throne-like chairs reserved for Baba and Mama Babalola. His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, was resplendent, regal and graciously humble. Distinguished foreign university delegations came to honour Baba, while the ceremony celebrated 286 First Class graduates and recognised eminent personalities, including Professor Obiora Okonkwo and Niyi John Olajide.
But as the proceedings continued, my anger increased. The hall remained pleasantly cool, the ventilation was excellent, and guests sat comfortably. Nobody around me fainted from heat. Nobody was struggling for fresh air. I waited patiently for the familiar discomfort, but nothing happened! Could Baba not have allowed the hall to become slightly warm, even for five minutes?
Then the full magnitude of his offence dawned on me!
My two hand fans!
Yes! The two hand fans I had hired specifically for the convocation remained completely useless! Not once did I need either of them! Imagine two able-bodied hand fans, fully prepared for duty, only for Baba to deny them employment throughout the ceremony! They sat there like two civil servants whose ministry had suddenly been abolished. I had hired them to fight heat, but Baba eliminated the heat entirely!
Is that fair? Is that how to treat a guest who had gone to considerable expense preparing for the anticipated hardship?
Personally, I am particularly angry that God blessed Chief Afe Babalola with the wisdom, resources and organisational ability to package such a first-class convocation. What a nonsense! Imagine a Nigerian university ceremony where guests were not subjected to unbearable heat, security personnel behaved responsibly, parking was properly managed, and nobody around me was gasping for oxygen! Is Baba suggesting that major ceremonies in Nigeria can be organised without inflicting hardship on innocent guests?
As a tourism destination developer who understands hospitality and event management, I find this excessive efficiency and unnecessary organisational excellence particularly offensive! Why must Baba demonstrate that proper planning, discipline and respect for guests are possible in Nigeria? Why must he organise a convocation so comfortable that all my carefully anticipated suffering became impossible?
These are the outrageous acts of hospitality I intend to tender as evidence before the court!
I expect Baba to deploy his formidable legal team, preferably the youngest female lawyer from his chambers who has recently attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Let her come with her authorities, precedents and procedural objections. I am ready! I shall overwhelm the defence with incontrovertible evidence of Baba’s excessive hospitality and the complete frustration of my legitimate expectation of suffering.
Above all, I shall tender my two unemployed hand fans as Exhibits A and B! My contemplated ₦1 billion claim will cover economic losses, frustrated expectations, emotional distress and the premature retirement of my two innocent hand fans. Let Baba explain why he organised a convocation so comfortable that my preparations for hardship were rendered absolutely useless!
And let me make one thing clear: I am not afraid of how long this matter may take in court!
May God bless Aare Afe Babalola with sound health, renewed vigour, uncommon strength and many more years on earth. May the Almighty preserve him to witness the final determination of this ₦1 billion case, which, considering the familiar pace of judicial proceedings in Nigeria, may take another 25 years to conclude!
I sincerely pray that Baba remains hale, hearty and intellectually alert throughout the proceedings, so that when judgment is eventually delivered, he will be physically present to hear the court pronounce on the monumental injustice he inflicted upon my two innocent hand fans.
And Baba, please do not worry about my own longevity. I am also praying to live long enough to collect my ₦1 billion damages, with interest!
Twenty-five years or not, justice must be done!
Wale Ojo-Lanre, Esq.
Lawyer | Tourism Destination Developer | Journalist | Cultural Ambassador
