THISDAY Awards:Winners of Titans of the Year….Dele Farotimi
The trial and criminalisation of free speech
Dele Farotimi, a prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist, embodies resilience in the face of systemic oppression.
Known for his bold critiques of governance and social injustice, he was targeted with threats, lawsuits, and public vilification aimed at silencing his voice, which culminated to his gestapo-styled arrest on December 3, 2024, by the Ekiti State Police Command, afterwhich he was detained for 21 days over alleged defamation tied to his book Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
Farotimi’s ordeal exposed the weaponisation of the legal system against dissent. Despite harsh detention conditions and stringent bail terms, including a N30 million bond and media restrictions, his unwavering stance on governance and social justice in the shrinking space for free speech in Nigeria and his enduring commitment to truth and accountability, puts him on the radar.
