With the weekend’s demolition of the cenotaph built by the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, in honour of the victims of the deadly 2022 St Francis Xavier Catholic Church massacre in Owo, various stakeholders have been at loggerheads over the action of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

While describing the development as saddening, the former Chief Press Secretary to the late Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, revealed that the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, was duly informed of the siting of the memorial park at the location, after which he gave his approval.

Olatunde emphasised that the move will reopen old wounds in the hearts of the victims’ families.

The monument was demolished with a bulldozer at the order of the Aiyedatiwa following complaints from the Olowo over the proximity of the cenotaph to the palace, which he described as inappropriate in respect of the town’s ancient tradition.

Over 40 worshippers were killed and scores injured when armed assailants brutally attacked the church during a morning mass on June 5, 2022. Akeredolu, a native son of Owo, built the cenotaph in the heart of the ancient town to honour the victims of the deadly massacre.

According to Akeredolu’s former aide, the park merely symbolises those who lost their lives in the June 5, 2022, horrific incident, as no single body was buried at the cenotaph, with only the names of the victims inscribed.

While emphasising that the state government ought to have exercised caution in the demolition of the park, Olatunde stressed that his late boss never played politics with the incident, as he maintained that late Akeredolu acted solely on what was believed to be necessary and appropriate.

He said, “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.”

While countering the position of Olatunde, the Olowo of Owo stated that the late Akeredolu was advised against siting the cenotaph opposite the palace by the Olowo-in-Council.

The traditional ruler, who revealed that he had requested the demolition of the monument, stated that Aiyedatiwa only executed the palace’s complaint over the location of the memorial park, stressing that the governor should not be held responsible but that all attacks be directed at the palace.

According to the Olowo, Akeredolu, who conceptualised and built the monument, ‘defiantly’ ignored the objection of the palace and the people of Owo over the siting of the cenotaph, emphasising that it was not in conformity with the age-old culture and traditions of the ancient town under any guise of celebrating the dead.

The traditional ruler also stated that youths and some concerned stakeholders had protested against the development, but the late Akeredolu disregarded the plea.

Meanwhile, the widow of the late Akeredolu, Betty, who also berated Aiyedatiwa over the directive, described the move by the governor as insensitive as well as ‘desecration of sacred ground’.

According to the former first lady, in a terse social media post, the demolition of the monument is not only a political misstep but also an insult to the victims and disrespect to their families.

Akeredolu’s widow maintained that “Lucky Aiyedatiwa has shown us who he is—and history, too, will remember,” adding that demolishing the cenotaph for “a so-called world-class shopping complex reveals a disturbing level of moral decay.”

Betty, who commended the courage of those who had spoken out against the demolition, particularly Richard Olatunde, stated that history would be kind to those who defend truth and justice, stressing that a world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit; “it preserves memory, honours the dead, and builds with conscience.

“An honorary doctorate cannot mask a glaring absence of humanity and scholarship. How daft can one be to assume that the value of life, memory, and honour must be measured by profit margins? The monument was part of his (Akeredolu) legacy—a physical embodiment of empathy and leadership in the face of tragedy.”

The Chief Press Secretary to Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, had earlier revealed that the demolition was carried out following the complaint of Olowo over the siting of the cenotaph opposite his palace.

Reacting, the spokesperson of the Ondo Catholic Diocese, Fr. Austin Ikwu, said, “I have been receiving calls over the development. We are already making moves, but we have not been able to reach out to the governor or any government representative.

“What I gathered from the parish priest in Owo, where the massacre took place, was that he was just told that the place would be demolished, but of course, there was no dialogue or a roundtable discussion on that decision. So, that’s why we want to seek an audience with the governor and to really know what is going on.”