Amid uproar over the demolition of Owo Cenotaph, the Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday provided the reasons for the recent demolition of the June 5, 2022, terror attack Memorial Cenotaph in Owo.
In a statement by his chief press secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor said the cenotaph demolition was due to land ownership issues and deep-rooted cultural concerns.
Aiyedatiwa, who said the demolition was not an act of disrespect toward the victims of the terror attack, noted that the demolition of the Memorial Park was a necessary step taken to restore the dignity of Owo’s culture and the original purpose of the site.
The governor explained that the demolition was done after consultations with the people of Owo, as represented by the Olowo-in-Council.
He also noted that the land on which the cenotaph was built legally belongs to AgroMore Limited, a company owned by the current Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, before his ascension.
According to him, the government acquired the land in 2010 but was re-allocated to its original owner in 2021 under the late Governor Akeredolu’s administration.
Aiyedatiwa further explained that at the time of constructing the cenotaph, there was no record of official revocation of the land from AgroMore, and the government later realised the procedural errors made in taking possession of the land for the construction of the cenotaph.
He said, “Aside from the official complaints from the Palace of the Olowo, there have also been protests by various segments of the people of Owo against the location of the Memorial Park, as it was said to be against the culture of the land to site a cenotaph at the heart of the town and in front of the palace.
“Although no bodies were buried at the site, it was constructed in the replica image of a cemetery, complete with insignia of the dead and inscriptions of the names of all the victims. This, the Olowo-in-Council and the people of Owo frowned upon and protested against as a taboo.”
Aiyedatiwa, however, described the statement by the Catholic Diocese Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Jude Arogundade, over the demolition of the Memorial Park, as negating the cordial relationship with open channels of communication that he has established with religious leaders in the state.
His words: “The letter said to have been written to Mr. Governor, seeking an audience for dialogue on this issue, was submitted by the Church to the Governor’s Office on Monday, June 23, 2025, while the public statement was issued on Wednesday, June 25, 2025—barely 48 hours later.
“The statement not only falsely claimed that 72 hours had passed without a response to the letter, but also gave the impression of issuing an ultimatum to the government to respond. We find it concerning that, despite not exploring any other channels of reaching Mr. Governor aside from the letter submitted 48 hours prior, Bishop Arogundade chose to address the public while painting the state government as unresponsive, in a tone that could incite the public against the government over the issue.’’
