Rotimi Jolayemi, the poet detained for criticising Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, begged the minister for forgiveness before his arrest.
The embattled Kwara based poet was arraigned in a court in Abuja for allegedly inciting “annoyance” and “hatred” against Lai Mohammed, days after he released an audio message, pleading for the forgiveness of the minister.
Findings revealed that the poet released an audio message on April 14, few days after the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was gutted by fire.
Jolayemi in the audio message, recorded in Yoruba language, accused the Minister of telling lies concerning COVID-19.
He called the Minister a liar, alleging that Lai Mohammed lied that the Federal Government disbursed N100 billion to Nigerians in 3 days as COVID-19 palliative.
Few days later, the poet went back to the studio and produced another audio message in which he declared that he lied against the Minister in his previous work.
He apologised to the Minister.
His Apology
According to him: “Everything I said against the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in my last album was not true.
“I produced that album without conducting proper research.
“I have made proper findings now and I now know the truth.
“I apologise for this mistake.
“I want Lai Mohammed to forgive me.
“The people of Kwara State are angry with me over this wrong and false allegations I made against Lai Mohammed.
“Even the people of my home town are not happy with me.
“The traditional ruler of my hometown, the Elekan of Ekan, condemned me and disowned me for telling lies against the minister.
“I regret this big mistake I made.
“I have realised my mistake and I’m very sorry.
“I was misinformed and misled by the Minister’s opponents who peddled the lies again him.
“God will punish those that misinformed and misled me.
“In the past, I had produced audio messages in which I praised President Muhammudu Buhari and Alhaji Lai Mohammed.”
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“But when I heard that the office of the Accountant General was burnt and that the Minister said that Federal Government distributed 100 billion naira to Nigerians as COVID-19 palliative, I became angry and furious and ran to the studio immediately.
“I decided to attack Lai Mohammed because he is my father.
“As a father, I want him to forgive me.
“It will not happen again. Lai Muhammed is a good man loved by everyone.”
“People of Kwara State love him so much.
“If he contest for Governor of Kwara State, he will win without stress. He is a good man.
“He is a nice and generous man.
“I regret telling lies against him.
“He is my father.
“He will forgive me.
“God will punish those that misinformed me; they are ruined.
“Alhaji Lai Mohammed is a humble man; he is a good man”.
Arrest and detention
Few days after he released the ‘apology’ audio message, his wife, Dorcas and his siblings, John and Joseph were arrested by the police.
The wife spent eight days at the Kwara State Police Command before Jolayemi surrendered himself to the police headquarters at Ilorin, on May 6, 2020.
After 17 days in detention, he was charged in Abuja for inciting “annoyance” and “hatred” against information minister Lai Mohammed.
Jolayemi is the vice chairman Osun state chapter of Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria.
The case against Jolayemi
Police alleged that on April 14, he shared an audio file on WhatsApp and charged him for contravening Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, according to the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CB/104/2020.
Prosecuting Counsel, Joseph Offor, signed the charge sheet, which alleged the journalist sent the audio file to a WhatsApp group named “Ekan Sons and Daughters.”
The message went viral, and was posted; “for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, hatred and ill will to the current Hon. Minister of Information and Culture … Lai Mohammed,” according to the charges.
Illegal detention and rights defence
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR called Jolayemi’s detention by the Nigeria Police Force, Abuja, “illegal”.
He only recited a poem on air which was critical of the minister, it said.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) also condemned the arrest, noting that it is only possible “when there is widespread official impunity and anarchy.”
CDHR in a statement by its National President, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, said that when the journalist failed to turn himself in, his wife, Dorcas Jolayemi; and his brothers – John Jolayemi and Joseph Jolayemi – were all detained in Kwara State.
“It is worrisome that Alhaji Lai Mohammed would have a hand in the arrest of the wife of Mr. Jolayemi, Mrs. Dorcas Jolayemi, and two of his brothers who were kept in detention for eight days, nine days and two days respectively as hostages, while the journalist, Mr. Rotimi Jolayemi was being sought,” the CDHR president, Osagie Obayuwana, said in a statement.
The CDHR said detaining the journalist’s relatives because of his refusal to show up was in violation of Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which forbids hostage-taking and the arrest of any person in place of another.
FIBAN’s intervention
The Osun state chapter of Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) has appealed to the Minister to pardon Jolayemi and let him return home.
The Chairman of FIBAN in the state, Mr Olugbade Olu-Oluomo, pleaded with the Minister to forgive the poet and release him because of his health condition.
He said the poet has realised his mistake and that he should be freed.
He assured the Minister that such mistake would not be repeated.
Also, other popular leaders of FIBAN in Osun, including Mr Akinkunmi Alabi, Mrs Modasola Oladunjoye and Mr Adekunle Abolade joined Olu-Oluomo to appeal to the minister.
