The widow of the late Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has condemned the demolition of the cenotaph erected in honour of the victims of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church massacre in Owo.

The monument, built by the late governor in memory of over 40 worshippers who were gruesomely murdered during a church service on June 5, 2022, was pulled down recently on the directive of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, drawing widespread outrage.

In a post on 𝕏 (formerly known as Twitter), she wrote, “What kind of leadership defiles the memory of innocent souls in such a callous manner? Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s demolition of the Owo church massacre monument is not only an act of profound insensitivity, it is a desecration of sacred ground.

“That monument, built by my late husband, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, a son of Owo, was a solemn tribute to lives violently cut short in a house of worship. It symbolized collective mourning, remembrance, and healing.

“To now dismiss it as having “no economic value,” and to demolish it for a so-called “world-class shopping complex,” reveals a disturbing level of moral bankruptcy. A world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit. It preserves memory, it honors the dead, and it builds with conscience.

“This evil act is not just a political misstep, it is an affront to decency. It insults the victims, disrespects their families, and dishonors the legacy of a governor who governed with empathy and stood for justice.

“The voiceover defending this abomination only deepens the outrage. How daft can one be to assume that the value of life, memory, and honor must be measured by profit margins? An honorary doctorate cannot mask a glaring absence of humanity and scholarship.

“Lucky Aiyedatiwa has shown us who he is and history, too, will remember.”

The now-demolished cenotaph stood in the heart of Owo, Akeredolu’s hometown, as a solemn tribute to the lives lost in the 2022 attack.