— Akeredolu family, aide, disagree with Aiyedatiwa, Olowo of Owo
— We were not carried along – Catholic Church
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
The demolition of a cenotaph erected in honour of victims killed in the terrorist attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, in Owo, Ondo state in 2022, by the state government, has continued to sparked off controversy.
Family members of the former governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his former aide, the Catholic Church, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye have disagreed over the reasons for the demolition of the cenotaph.
Decision of the governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa led administration to pull down the cenotaph has pitched all the stakeholders in the town and the state against each other.
Recall that the cenotaph, was constructed by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to immortalize over 50 worshippers murdered during the tragic incident.
The governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa administration weekend took responsibility for the demolition of the cenotaph following complaints from the monarch of the town, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye.
The move has sparked mixed reactions across the state.
A viral video circulating online shows bulldozers tearing down the monument and adjoining structure where the names of the slain victims were inscribed, drawing public outrage and rekindling painful memories of the gruesome massacre.
Sources revealed that the decision followed persistent complaints from residents of Owo, particularly over the cenotaph’s location — directly opposite the palace of the Olowo of Owo, the town’s paramount traditional ruler.
Critics had earlier described the location as a violation of Yoruba customs, referring to it as a cultural taboo.
But in a swift reaction to the pulling down of the structure, the wife of the late governor Mrs Betty Akeredolu, lambasted governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the action.
Mrs Akeredolu said that “What kind of leadership defiles the memory of innocent souls in such a callous manner? .
“Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s demolition of the Owo church massacre monument is not only an act of profound insensitivity, it is a desecration of sacred ground.
” That monument, built by my late husband, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, a son of Owo, was a solemn tribute to lives violently cut short in a house of worship. It symbolized collective mourning, remembrance, and healing.
” To now dismiss it as having “no economic value,” and to demolish it for a so-called “world-class shopping complex,” reveals a disturbing level of moral bankruptcy.
“A world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit. It preserves memory, it honors the dead, and it builds with conscience.
“This evil act is not just a political misstep, it is an affront to decency. It insults the victims, disrespects their families, and dishonors the legacy of a governor who governed with empathy and stood for justice.
“The voiceover defending this abomination only deepens the outrage. How daft can one be to assume that the value of life, memory, and honor must be measured by profit margins? An honorary doctorate cannot mask a glaring absence of humanity and scholarship.
“Lucky Aiyedatiwa has shown us who he is and history, too, will remember.
Reacting, to the demolition of the memorial park, Fr. Austin Ikwu, Spokesperson, Ondo Catholic Diocese, said that ” l 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.
“What I gathered from the parish priest in Owo where the massacre took place, he was just told that the place will be demolished but of course, there was no dialogue or a roundtable discussion to that decision.
“So, that why we want to seek audience with the governor and to really know what is going on.
Also, the former Chief Press Secretary to the late governor, Richard Olatunde, said that “it has become necessary for me to clarify the facts publicly and defend the actions and intentions of a man who sought only to honour the memories of the victims when he built the park.
These clarifications, according to him include that ” no bodies or corpses are buried at the memorial park. The park was constructed to celebrate the lives and memories of the departed souls. Not a single body was interred there.
“The late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, 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.
” The tragic incident of June 5, 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.
Olatunde added that “The late Governor Akeredolu responded to the tragedy of June 5, 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.
However, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade while reacting to the controversy, owned up that” the request for this action was at his instance and the entire people of the kingdom.
Oba Ajibade said that “It must be made clear that the decision to site the structure in that particular location was resisted by the Olowo-in-Council and frowned upon by the people of the community when it was being conceived by the Government of the late Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON.
“All advice to the late Governor that celebrating the dead in any guise around the palace is not in conformity with the age-long culture and traditions of Owo was defiantly dismissed.
“Even at a time a protest was made by concerned Owo youths and stakeholders to that effect which the then Governor disregarded.
“The above position of the palace is vindicated by the enthusiasm shown by Owo people and the deluge of commendation across sundry media platforms in support of the demolition.
The monarch added that “The Olowo-in-Council will soon come out to avail the public with the comprehensive details of all that happened before and during the construction of the structure which led to the current development.
He advised “anyone with any issues whatsoever against the demolition to make the palace their target and not the listening Governor, Hon. (Dr.) Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who is not in anyway responsible for the demolition.
Also defending the governor’s decision, his Chief Press Secretary Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the demolition was a response to a formal request from the Olowo-in-Council, who argued that the cenotaph’s location was spiritually inappropriate.
“It was a special request from the palace of the Olowo, as it is said to be against culture and tradition to site such a symbol of death near the palace — the sacred seat of life and authority in Owo,” Adeniyan explained.
He emphasized that the action was not an act of desecration but an effort to “restore cultural balance.” He also disclosed that a modern market would be constructed on the site, while the cenotaph would be respectfully relocated within the town.
Adeniyan assured residents that the government remains committed to preserving the memory of the victims and would soon begin work on a new memorial at a more appropriate location.
It will be recalled that on June 5, 2022, gunmen stormed the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo during a Sunday Mass, killing over 50 worshippers — including children — and injuring many others in one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks.
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