King’s College London (KCL) faces backlash from Nigerian activists over its association with controversial philanthropist Afe Babalola. Babalola made a £10 million donation to KCL for the creation of the Aare Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education.
At the end of 2024, the highly influential Nigerian public figure found himself at the centre of a human rights controversy after he petitioned for the arrest of activist Dele Farotimi from Lagos to Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Farotimi was arrested for alleged defamation after publicly accusing Babalola of corrupting the country’s judicial system in a widely-circulated book.
In 2023, KCL and Babalola collaborated to launch the Aare Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education, which aims to provide access to education for young Africans who otherwise would lack such opportunities.
Babalola supported the Centre’s establishment with a £10 million donation.
In light of this controversy, activists in Nigeria and across the Nigerian diaspora called on KCL to distance itself from the influential figure. Many demand the University cut ties and denounce Farotimi’s arrest.
The Babalola-Farotimi controversy
On 3 December 2023, the Nigerian Police from Ekiti State arrested the Lagos based human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi, for cybercrime and defamation.
This followed a petition led by Mr Babalola accusing Mr Farotimi of defamation and cyberbullying in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
This move was a reaction to Mr Farotimi’s authorship of the book, which is a critical examination of systemic flaws in Nigeria’s judicial system. It accuses Babalola of corrupting the Supreme Court.
The Ekiti Police moved Mr Farotimi out of Lagos to charge him with defamation in Ekiti State, despite defamation being decriminalised in 2021.
The incident triggered a free speech controversy in Nigeria. Farotimi labelled Babalola the “grandmaster of judicial corruption in Nigeria” in his book, which Babalola alleges unduly damages his reputation.
The Nigerian Bar Association has called for the immediate release of Mr Farotimi, claiming “libel is not a crime” and that this case should be dealt with as a civil, not a criminal, matter.
Many observers regard the move as an abuse of power, on the part of Mr Babalola, to silence his detractors. Amnesty International Nigeria posted on X:
Amnesty International just received shocking report of the arrest of Dele Farotimi — for exercising his right to freedom of expression. The Nigerian authorities must end repression of dissent and immediately and unconditionally release him.
Amnesty International Nigeria, via X (Dec 3, 2024)
The Chief Magistrate Court granted Mr Farotimi bail for two cases against him. There were bureaucratic barriers to meeting that bail which initially stalled his release.
On 24 December, Mr Farotimi was released from prison in Ekiti and returned home to Lagos.
In a YouTube Video, he gratefully attributed his release to the “collective action” and support of Nigerians across religion and ethnicity.
Mr Farotimi is pursuing legal action against those who participated in his “unlawful arrest” to “ensure that some lawyers never practice law in this country again.”
KCL’s Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education
In 2023, KCL and Afe Babalola established the Aare Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education.
The Centre aims to “provide young Africans with access to education and opportunities which they would otherwise not have”, through support, scholarships and funds for students who have experienced educational barriers such as conflict and displacement.
The Centre is both inspired and entirely funded by Mr Babalola.
Transnational education made an impact on his own trajectory. He cited his personal journey as inspiration to make education easily accessible for others:
“I greatly benefitted from the transformative power of remote learning. By partnering with King’s College London, I am able to reach even more Africans like me, breaking down the barriers and increasing their access to high quality education.”
Aare Afe Babalola
Within Nigeria and across the global diaspora, many regard Farotimi’s arrest as a clear obstruction of the human right to free speech.
Mothers United and Mobilised (MUM), a Nigerian women’s group, called on KCL to cut ties with Babalola and return his donation over the controversy.
On 10 December, a small group staged a #FreeDeleFarotimiNow protest in front of the King’s Building.
How is KCL responding?
In December, Sahara Reporters claimed that KCL sought the advice of Amnesty International to appropriately respond to the controversy. Roar has been unable to confirm this.
