Jun 3, 2026

Demolished Memorial Reignites Painful Owo Attack Memories

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Owo, Ondo State, 3 June, 2026— The demolition of the cenotaph erected in memory of victims of the horrific Owo church massacre has stirred fresh controversy in Ondo State, reopening emotional wounds for families still grappling with one of Nigeria’s darkest moments in recent history.

The memorial was built to honor worshippers who lost their lives during the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, where gunmen unleashed terror on congregants during a Pentecost Sunday service.

The attack shocked the nation and attracted international condemnation after dozens of innocent worshippers, including children, were killed and many others injured.

Speaking during an interview with journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, defended the circumstances surrounding the removal of the monument, insisting that the cenotaph was constructed without official government approval.

According to the governor, the land on which the structure stood belongs to the revered traditional ruler of Owo Kingdom, Olowo of Owo.

He alleged that political disagreements between certain government actors and the monarch at the time led to the decision to erect the monument directly in front of the palace.

Aiyedatiwa argued that the location was culturally sensitive and considered inappropriate within Owo tradition.

He stated that the monarch viewed the development as an encroachment on his property and eventually sought to reclaim the land.

“The land actually belonged to the Olowo of Owo,” the governor said.

“Some actors in government at the time, because of issues they had with the Olowo, went ahead to build the cenotaph in front of the palace, which is regarded as a taboo.”

The governor further distanced himself from the demolition, maintaining that he neither ordered nor authorized the action.

Rather, he suggested that the move stemmed from the landowner’s desire to recover property he considered rightfully his.

Yet the explanation has done little to calm public concern.

For many Nigerians, the controversy extends beyond questions of land ownership or political rivalry.

The cenotaph represented a sacred symbol of collective remembrance for victims whose lives were cut short in a senseless act of violence.

To grieving families and residents of Owo, the monument stood as a permanent reminder that the nation would never forget the lives lost on that tragic day.

The Owo massacre remains one of the deadliest attacks ever recorded in Nigeria’s South-West region.

Investigations and prosecutions linked several suspects to the atrocity, while a Federal High Court recently sentenced four individuals to death over their roles in the attack.

Critics argue that regardless of the ownership dispute, greater consultation with victims’ families, community leaders, and religious stakeholders could have prevented the emotional backlash now trailing the demolition.

As debates continue, one question remains unresolved: should administrative and traditional disagreements outweigh the symbolic importance of preserving a memorial dedicated to innocent men, women, and children whose lives were brutally taken?

For many residents of Owo, the answer lies not in politics or property rights, but in the enduring duty to honor and remember the victims of a tragedy that forever changed their community.