By Charles Igbo
A disappointed former Spokesperson to the late Governor of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has put a lie to the claims by the Olowo-in-Council that Akeredolu was told not to build a Memorial Park in honour of the victims of a terrorist attack at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo Ondo State.
On June 5, 2022, well armed terrorist invaded the Church during the morning Mass and slaughtered dozens of the congregants.
In their memory, a devastated and mourning Governor Akeredolu erected a cenotaph opposite the Palace of the Olowo of Owo.
However, in what has been received with mixed feelings, the Ondo State Government on Monday, June 23, 2025, demolished the Memorial Park saying it was against Owo’s Culture to build the Memorial Park near the Olowo’s Palace. In its place, the Government said it would build a modern market to boost its revenue.
The first to react was Akeredolu’s family. In a strongly-worded condemnation of the demolition, Akeredolu’s widow, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, described the exercise as a sacrilege committed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. She saw it as “a desecration of a sacred ground and a betrayal of collective memory.”
She continued: “To destroy such a monument and dismiss it as having no economic value is not only deeply insensitive, it is morally bankrupt.”
Quite a number of people agree with the outraged Mrs Akeredolu. But in a below the belt reaction, the Olowo- in-Council, distanced Governor Aiyedatiwa from the demolition and said the Council should be held responsible for the exercise. They said they adviced Akeredolu not to build a Memorial Park there but that all appeals to him was ignored.
However, Akeredolu’s Spokesperson, Richard Olatunde, in his reaction put a lie to the claims of the Olowo-in-Council.
He clarified that Akeredolu consulted with the Olowo and even offered to erect it somewhere else if the Olowo disapproved of it, but that Olowo encouraged him to go ahead.
His words: “Akeredolu convened a meeting with the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, his chiefs, and political appointees from Owo, where he outlined his vision for the park.
“He explicitly stated that no corpses would be buried there and sought the Olowo’s approval. He also offered an alternative: if the Olowo was not comfortable with the proposed location, the park could be relocated to Ijebu-Owo or other areas in the town. The Olowo and his chiefs agreed to the chosen site. I was present at that meeting.
“When the late Governor Akeredolu built the park, he was not playing politics. He acted solely on what he believed was necessary and appropriate.
“It is sad that some government appointees are now injecting political undertones into this matter. This is very unfortunate.”
Olatunde also revealed that no bodies or corpses were buried at the memorial park, and said “it was constructed to celebrate the lives and memories of the departed souls. Not a single body was interred there.
“The tragic incident of 5 June 2022 was an international tragedy. Given its sensitive nature, I believe the government should have exercised greater caution in demolishing the park.
“This action will undoubtedly reopen wounds in the hearts of the victims’ families. The late Governor Akeredolu responded to the tragedy of 5 June 2022 with courage and resolve, doing what any responsible and responsive leader would do anywhere in the world.
“This demolition cannot erase his gallant efforts. We will continue to remember the victims of the Owo massacre. They are martyrs who died serving God. May God continue to grant their souls eternal repose.”
The Catholic Church in its own reaction expressed reservation that the Church was not briefed or communicated with before the demolition of the cenotaph.
The Spokesperson for the Ondo Catholic Diocese, Father Austin Ikwu, said:
“I have been receiving calls over the development. We are making moves already, but we have not been able to reach out to the Governor or any representative of the government.
“But what I gathered from the Parish Priest in Owo where the massacre took place is that he was just told that the place would be demolished, but of course, there was no dialogue or a roundtable discussion leading to that decision.
“So, that is why we want to seek audience with the Governor to really know what is going on.”
But the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, explained that the Government demolished the cenotaph over complaints from the Palace about its siting.
The Olowo-in-Council, he said, personally “requested the monument’s removal through the Local Government. They noted the spiritual inappropriateness of a death symbol facing the palace—the sacred seat of life and authority in Owo.
“It was a special request from the palace of the Olowo, as it is said to be against the culture and tradition to site such near the palace.
“This is not desecration, but restoration of cultural balance. A modern market will rise in its place to serve our people, while the monument is being respectfully relocated within Owo.”
He disclosed that the Government would build another one in a different location soon, in memory of the mudered Catholic faithful.
Akeredolu was a distinguished and prominent son of Owo.
