…faults Catholic Church over misrepresentation, says Bishop’s claims are false, inciting
The Ondo State Government has broken its silence on the controversies surrounding the demolition of the Owo memorial cenotaph, clarifying that it was not directly responsible for the demolition.
Instead, the action was carried out by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye.
The government disclosed this in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.
The state government explained that it only approved the action after reaching an agreement with the Olowo-in-Council to relocate the cenotaph.
It further clarified that the land in question had been legally reclaimed by its original owner, AgroMore Limited, following the state’s formal reversal of a faulty revocation.
It, however, accused the Catholic Diocese of Ondo and its Bishop, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, of misleading the public and inciting tension over the demolition of the park.
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Adeniyan said the Bishop’s statement to the public was laced with falsehoods and political undertones, aimed at portraying the state as insensitive to the memory of terror victims.
While explaining the reasons behind the demolition, Adeniyan said the action was not only to restore the dignity of Owo’s culture but was also executed by the rightful owner of the land, Oba Ogunoye, with the state government’s approval.
According to him, the decision to reverse the faulty revocation and return the land to Oba Ajibade was made after due consultations with the people of Owo, represented by the Olowo-in-Council.”
He stated that the land used for Owo memorial cenotaph initially belonged to AgroMore Limited, a company owned by Oba Ogunoye before he ascended the throne.
The statement read: “The demolition of the Memorial Park in Owo was a necessary step taken to restore the dignity of Owo’s culture and the original purpose of the site. This was done after due consultations with the people of Owo, represented by the Olowo-in-Council.
“The land used for the Memorial Park originally belonged to AgroMore Limited (of No. 1, Oke Ogun Street, Owo), a company owned by Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye before he became the Olowo of Owo.”
He explained further, “In 2010, the Olusegun Mimiko administration acquired the land from the company for public use to make way for road dualisation. In January 2021, the Akeredolu administration reallocated the land to its original owner, AgroMore Limited.
“However, at the time the cenotaph was constructed, there was no official record of revocation of the land from AgroMore.
“The state government later discovered procedural errors in taking possession of the land for the cenotaph project.
“In addition to official complaints from the Olowo’s Palace, various segments of the Owo community also protested against the park’s location, arguing that it contravened cultural norms to site a cenotaph at the heart of town and directly in front of the palace.
“Although no bodies were buried at the site, it was constructed in the style of a cemetery, complete with insignia of the dead and the names of all the victims. This, the Olowo-in-Council and the people of Owo strongly opposed, viewing it as a taboo.”
Adeniyan maintained that the demolition was the result of long-standing discussions between the state government and the traditional leadership of Owo regarding the relocation of the cenotaph.
“There had been ongoing discussions between the Palace of the Olowo and the state government on relocating the Memorial Park before the unfortunate demise of former Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.
“Some former government officials, taking advantage of Akeredolu’s ill health, ignored these discussions and rushed to complete the cenotaph, which to this day was never officially commissioned.
“The engagement between the Olowo-in-Council and the government continued after Governor Aiyedatiwa assumed office.
“He then directed the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Lands and Housing, and Owo Local Government to revisit the issue with a view to relocating the Memorial Park.
“After reaching an agreement with the Palace of the Olowo, the government decided to reverse the faulty revocation and return the land to its rightful owner — the Olowo of Owo.
“It was, therefore, the Olowo of Owo and AgroMore Limited — the rightful owners of the land — who carried out the demolition of the cenotaph, with the approval of the state government.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa has commissioned a team of government officials to liaise with relevant stakeholders and make arrangements to build a new cenotaph at a location acceptable to the people of Owo.”
Condemning the approach of the Catholic Church, Adeniyan described the actions of Bishop Arogundade as disappointing and inconsistent with the cordial relationship Governor Aiyedatiwa has maintained with religious leaders in the state.
According to him, the Church’s letter requesting an audience with the Governor was submitted on Monday, June 23, 2025.
However, the Diocese went public with a statement just two days later, on Wednesday, June 25 — barely 48 hours after the letter was received.
He said the Diocese’s claim that 72 hours had passed without a response was misleading and appeared to issue an ultimatum to the Governor.
Adeniyan described the move as troubling, noting that the Bishop chose to go public without exhausting other communication channels, thereby portraying the government as unresponsive and risking unnecessary public unrest.
“The statement falsely claimed that 72 hours had passed without a response, creating the impression of issuing an ultimatum to the government.
“We find it concerning that, despite not exploring other means of reaching the Governor apart from the letter submitted 48 hours earlier, Bishop Arogundade chose to address the public. In doing so, he painted the state government as unresponsive, using a tone that could incite the public over the issue.
“We understand the emotional connection to the memorial, but the decision to demolish and relocate it was made with careful consideration of its broader implications.
“We must strike a balance between preserving the memory of the dead and respecting the cultural sanctity of the community.
“The Memorial Park within St. Francis Church in Owo was commissioned by Governor Aiyedatiwa when he served as Deputy Governor. This shows his commitment to honouring the victims of the June 5, 2022, terror attack.
“The current administration remains committed to honouring these victims in a manner that respects the law, the rights of all stakeholders, and the cultural traditions of the land.
“Rather than lending credence to politically driven narratives, the Catholic Diocese should engage in sincere and constructive dialogue with the government, the Owo community, and, most importantly, the Olowo of Owo to promote healing, unity, and respect for the victims’ memories.
“The Church is part of the Owo community. It must, therefore, live peacefully with its host community and respect its traditional ininstitution.
“It is the government’s duty to ensure peaceful coexistence among all parties, working toward communal harmony across the state.”
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