Owo attack: Ondo commences construction of memorial park to honour slain victims

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, says the state has commenced the construction of a memorial park in honour of slain victims of the Owo attack. 

In a statement on Saturday, Akeredolu said the memorial park, located in the heart of Owo town, will be a beauty to behold when completed.

On June 5, 2022, gunmen attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, killing about 40 people and leaving many injured after the incident. 

Speaking during an inspection of the construction site of the memorial park, the governor said his administration is determined not to forget the souls that have departed. 

He also hinted that the president-elect,  Bola Tinubu, who visited Owo to commiserate with the state and the people after the incident, will be invited to commission the project when completed. 

“The architect who designed this place, Femi Bello, the Odopetu of Akure kingdom, I want to thank him very well because he showed interest in this project. His interest is beyond the normal, so I thank you,” the governor said. 

“By the time we finish this memorial park, it will be a beauty to behold and it is going to measure up to any memorial park anywhere because the architect has taken his time to do so much good work here. It is for us to just wait and see it.

“Come rain, come sunshine, this project must be completed before the end of May. When this incident (attack) happened, our president-elect was here. I know that by the time we tell him we have this memorial park for him to come and commission it, I think it will be a thing of joy to him. That will be just a week after his inauguration. I pray he will come so that he can see this memorial park.

“For us, we are determined not to forget the souls that have departed. They were 41 in number. And others that are still nursing the wounds, although they have gone back to their homes, have been discharged, and some of them are outpatients.

“As you know, we also have a lady whose two legs were amputated. The government has provided the necessary prosthesis that she can use. I’m told that she has been able to use it. Her rehabilitation is moving on well and we are sure that she will still live a normal life. That is what I believe, she will live a normal life.

“So, for us, it is just a way of remembering those 41 souls that died.”

On his part, Raimi Aminu, commissioner for infrastructure, land and housing, commended the governor for not forgetting the departed souls.

Aminu said the befitting memorial park will be completed before the end of May. 

He added that the park is going to be a centre of attraction after completion and those whose lives were lost will be remembered for life.