Owo Attack Memorial Park Ready Soon, Says Ondo Govt

Ondo State government on Saturday disclosed that the memorial park, built in honour of the slain victims of the 5th June 2022 massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, will soon be commissioned.

This was revealed by the Chairman of the Owo Attack Donation Management Committee, Wale Akinterinwa during inspection of the facility, saying Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will officially inaugurate the Memorial Park once it is fully completed.

Akinterinwa, accompanied by other committee members, guided the Catholic Church bishops on a tour of the park, and assured them that the Governor and the state government have shown tremendous empathy and dedication to immortalizing the attack’s victims.

In addition to the progress made so far, Akinterinwa announced that the names of the survivors will be engraved on a walled marble, which will be completed soon.

He also mentioned that the remaining internal work will be finished shortly, after which the Memorial Park will be ready for commissioning.

Earlier, the committee members, along with key government officials including Deputy Governor,  Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, attended a Mass held in memory of the attack victims at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo.

They later joined Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, the Bishops of the Ondo Catholic Church, and the Archbishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev Dr. Gabriel Abegunrin, to inaugurate the Memorial Park constructed by the Catholic Diocese of Ondo at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo.

At the inspection tour, Akinterinwa said: “Today, we are here to conduct an inspection tour of the Government Memorial Park with the Bishops and some members of the clergy.

“Although this place has not yet been completed, the Papal Nuncio, the Pope’s representative in Nigeria, has expressed his intention to visit this place and witness our efforts.