Lawyer to the embattled traditionalist standing trial for defamation case in Kwara, Barrister Muftau Olobi, has sued for peace among religious bodies, clerics and religious adherents in the country.
Speaking in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital on Wednesday, Olobi, who is also the convener of the Campaign Against Destruction of Value of Religious Tolerance among Nigerians, urged religious bodies to embrace peace and shun bigotry in order to ensure progress in the country.
Olobi is representing Abdulazeez Adegbola popularly called ‘Tani Olohun’ in a case of alleged defamation of character of some Ilorin scholars, among other offences, appealed to Muslim bodies to accept plea of his client and his relatives for forgiveness.
The legal practitioner also urged the parties in the matter to adopt amicable and out-of-court settlement as a way of strengthening peace and peaceful coexistence among members of the community.
He said that his client would be ready to appease those he may have offended through his utterances after his release and further desist from such acts of posting videos on the internet.
Olobi, who also spoke on the fundamental enforcement suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos by associates of his client, condemned the step on the basis that if not withdrawn, it may fuel ambers of disunity among religious bodies.
“The matter has taken different, dangerous dimensions, but basically, there must be religious tolerance. The man in prison custody is involved in vulgar abuse. The matter is before the court. I have nothing to say about it. I stood for him when he was initially arraigned.
“My focus now is to preach the gospel of religious tolerance. I spoke with his relative to appease the Muslim community and they’ve done that. Tani Olohun is equally interested in appealing to all those that are aggrieved. The way out now is to appease everyone. The traditionalists, Muslims, and anyone he may have offended.
“The only way out is amicable settlement. I’m the advocate of out of court of settlement. The Ulamas are with me too on this,” he said.
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