Owo Massacre: Olowo, Ex-Ondo CPS Bicker On Demolition Of Victims’ Memorial Park
The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, has claimed he requested the demolition of the memorial park built to immortalise the massacred victims of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that outrage has trailed the demolition of the memorial park built by late former governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
But the monarch stated that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa only executed the complaint of the palace over the location of the memorial park, urging that the governor not be held responsible.
He urged all aggrieved persons to channel their attacks and anger at the palace.
The Olowo, in a statement, said late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who conceptualized and built the monument ‘defiantly,’ ignored the objection of the palace and the people of Owo over the citing of the cenotaph opposite the palace.
But the Olowo claim is at variance with an earlier position of the former CPS to late Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, who revealed that the Olowo of Owo actually gave his late boss the consent to build the project.
Ogunoye emphasised that the location of the memorial park within the proximity of the palace is not in conformity with the age-long 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.
“The Palace wishes to say unequivocally that the request for this action was at the instance of His Imperial Majesty, Olowo of Owo, and the entire good people of the kingdom.
“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.
“We advise anyone with any issues whatsoever against the demolition to make the palace their target and not the listening Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who is not in any way responsible for the demolition.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
