- Safiu Kehinde
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of late Ondo state’s former governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has broken silence over the demolition of the Owo memorial arcade built by her husband.
NPO Reported that the state government had on Sunday demolished the monument built in honour of the 40 worshippers killed in June 2022 terrorists attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo.
The cenotaph reportedly had names of the victims of the attack inscribed on it.
Its demolition had however sparked controversies with some members of the public accusing Aiyedatiwa of destroying his predecessor’s legacy.
In an X post commiserating with 2023 Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over the demolition of his brother’s property in Lagos, Betty Akeredolu compared the demolition to that of the Owo monument.
The ex-Ondo first lady accused the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of being insensitive with the demolition while of the monument which she described as her late husband’s solemn tribute to lives violently cut short in a house of worship.
“On June 21, 2025, Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered the demolition of the monument built in memory of Owo Catholic church massacre that shocked the nation on June 5, 2022.
“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.” Akeredolu wrote.
She further faulted the plan to build a shopping complex in the stead of the monument, stressing that a world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit.
“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.” She stated.
Akeredolu described the demolition as an affront to decency as well as insult and disrespect to the deceasedvictims and their families.
“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.” She added.