Lawyer to Abdulazeez Adekola aka Tani Olohun, the embattled traditionalist standing trial for a defamation case at a Kwara State Magistrates Court, 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 to ensure progress in the country.
Olobi is representing Abdulazeez in a case of alleged defamation of character of some Ilorin Islamic scholars, among other offences, and appealed to Muslim bodies to accept a plea of his client and that of his relatives for forgiveness.
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suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos by associates of his client, condemned the step on the basis that if not withdrawn, it may fuel disunity among religious bodies.
“The matter has taken different, dangerous dimensions, but basically, there must be religious tolerance. 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 who 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 settlement. The Ulamas are with me too on this,” he said.
