ONDO GOVERNMENT DEMOLISHES AKEREDOLU’S MEMORIAL PARK FOR OWO MASSACRE VICTIMS AFTER PALACE OBJECTION

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Ondo State Government has demolished a memorial park built by the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to honour victims of the 2022 terrorist attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo. The cenotaph, located in the heart of Owo town and bearing the names of the slain worshippers, was pulled down following a directive from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Confirming the demolition, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the decision followed a request from the Olowo of Owo’s palace, which had expressed strong objections to the location of the park.

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“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 a memorial near the palace,” Adeniyan said.

The Olowo-in-Council, in a statement, defended the action, saying the structure violated long-standing cultural norms that prohibit the celebration of the dead near the royal palace. The council disclosed it had previously warned the Akeredolu administration against constructing the cenotaph at the contested location, but its counsel was ignored.

“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,” the palace stated, adding that even protests by youths and community stakeholders at the time were disregarded.

The palace said the demolition had been widely welcomed by the Owo community and stressed that Governor Aiyedatiwa was merely acting on their collective request.

The Olowo-in-Council announced plans to release a comprehensive account of events leading to the monument’s construction and the recent demolition, while urging critics to direct concerns to the palace rather than the state government.

The memorial park was built in 2023 by Governor Akeredolu to honour the victims of the June 5, 2022, massacre, where over 40 worshippers were killed and dozens injured during a Mass service by gunmen suspected to be terrorists.

The site of the monument, directly opposite the Olowo’s palace, had been a source of controversy from the outset.