Emotional human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, recently wept following his release from detention after 20 days.

Farotimi was held at the correctional facility in Ekiti State after meeting the bail conditions granted to him in a case where he faces criminal charges of defaming senior lawyer Afe Babalola in his book.

In the book, Farotimi had accused the founder of the Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti, of corrupting Nigeria’s Supreme Court in the service of his clients.

As a result, Babalola petitioned the Ekiti State police, who travelled to Lagos to arrest Farotimi over claims he defamed him.

After much plea and a plan to protest over the continuous detention of Farotimi, the court granted him a N30 million bail.

In a live video on YouTube, Farotimi wept while expressing his gratitude to Nigerians for standing by him. He applauded the collective voice of Nigerians who together championed his release.

Farotimi said, “We stopped being humans because we became Nigerians. They divided us, and we fell for it. Because you wouldn’t see me as a Yoruba man, you spoke for me. Because you wouldn’t see me as a Christian, you spoke for me. Because you spoke, Nigeria couldn’t happen to me. The only reason Nigeria couldn’t happen to me is because you spoke. You found your voice. I became you, and in our collective, you couldn’t be silenced.

Watch the video below