Walaítàlàí! I am heading to court, and nothing will stop me. I have sworn before Almighty God to sue Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, over what he did to me at the ABUAD convocation 2026 in Ado-Ekiti. I have also resolved never to forgive him. Never!
Why I Am Suing Afe Babalola
I sincerely pray that God grants Baba long life, sound health and the grace to enjoy the fruits of his labour. Even so, I cannot overlook the injustice I suffered at his university. I am contemplating a ₦1 billion lawsuit, and I will pursue it to its logical conclusion.
Let nobody beg me. Not the Ooni of Ife, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti or the Olusi of Usi-Ekiti, my ancestral royal father. If Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, or former Ondo State Governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko steps in, I will not yield. Even if my Governor, His Excellency Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, appeals to me personally, I will respectfully decline.
I will not gree! Chief Afe Babalola was wicked, callous and completely inconsiderate. I never expected such treatment from a man of his age, experience and standing. I intend to prove it with overwhelming evidence.
What Went Wrong at the ABUAD Convocation 2026
So what exactly happened? Ordinarily, I dread university convocations. I know the usual list: terrible traffic, scarce parking, unruly crowds, overzealous security, muddled protocol, packed halls, endless speeches and, worst of all, unbearable heat. Too often, a convocation feels like an endurance contest rather than a celebration of academic excellence.
So when my friend Joel Tolu Fagbamila, who flew in from the United States, urged me to attend, I thought twice. No, thrice! Getting into that university on an ordinary day can seem harder than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Eventually I agreed, but I made elaborate preparations for the ordeal.
Then Baba began his mischief.
From the gate, the traffic was orderly and the parking well managed. The security personnel were calm, courteous and professional. No harassment, no shouting, no confusion! Where were the usual inconveniences of a major Nigerian ceremony? Had Baba deliberately set out to frustrate my expectations from the entrance?
Inside Afe Babalola University: The Evidence
Inside the hall, things grew more suspicious. The decorations were beautiful and the seating excellent. Two magnificent throne-like chairs awaited Baba and Mama Babalola. His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, looked resplendent, regal and graciously humble. Foreign university delegations came to honour Baba. The ceremony celebrated 286 First Class graduates and recognised eminent figures, including Professor Obiora Okonkwo and Niyi John Olajide.
As the programme went on, my anger grew. The hall stayed pleasantly cool. The ventilation was excellent and guests sat in comfort. Nobody fainted. Nobody gasped for air. I waited patiently for the familiar discomfort, but nothing happened. Could Baba not have let the hall warm up, even for five minutes?
Then the full size of his offence dawned on me. My two hand fans!
I had hired them specifically for the day, and they were completely useless. I never needed either of them. Two able-bodied hand fans, fully prepared for duty, and Baba denied them work for the entire ceremony. They sat there like two civil servants whose ministry had been abolished. I hired them to fight the heat, and Baba removed the heat entirely.
Is that fair? Is that how to treat a guest who spent good money preparing for hardship?
My ₦1 Billion Lawsuit Against Afe Babalola
I am angry that God blessed Chief Afe Babalola with the wisdom, resources and organisational skill to stage such a first-class event. Imagine a Nigerian university ceremony with no punishing heat, responsible security and properly managed parking. Is Baba suggesting that major ceremonies in Nigeria can run without hardship for innocent guests?
As a tourism destination developer who understands hospitality and event management, I find this excessive efficiency deeply offensive. Why must Baba show that planning, discipline and respect for guests are possible here? Why must he make a convocation so comfortable that my carefully planned suffering became impossible? I will tender these outrageous acts of hospitality before the court.
I expect Baba to deploy his formidable legal team, preferably the youngest female lawyer in his chambers who has just become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Let her bring her authorities, precedents and procedural objections. I am ready. I will tender my two unemployed hand fans as Exhibits A and B. My claim will cover economic losses, frustrated expectations, emotional distress and the premature retirement of two innocent hand fans.
Why the ₦1 Billion Lawsuit May Take 25 Years
I am not afraid of how long this will take. May God bless Aare Afe Babalola with sound health, renewed vigour and many more years. May the Almighty keep him alive to see the final judgment, which, at the usual pace of Nigerian courts, may take another 25 years. I pray he stays hale, hearty and alert, so he can be in court to hear the verdict on the injustice he inflicted on my two 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!
