HURIWA Condemns Demolition of Cenotaph for Owo Massacre Victims

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly condemned the Ondo State government for demolishing the cenotaph erected in memory of the victims of the Owo massacre, describing the act as a “provocative assault” on the memory of innocent worshippers and a grave affront to Christians across Nigeria.

In a press statement issued by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed outrage over the demolition of the memorial, which was built under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to honor the over 40 Catholic faithful brutally slain by terrorists on June 5, 2022, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo.

The rights group branded the demolition by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration as an “anathema and unpardonable sacrilege,” warning that it not only desecrates a sacred memory but also callously tramples on the sensitivities of grieving families, the Catholic Church, and the global Christian community.

HURIWA emphasized that the Memorial Park was not merely a structure but a sacred site honoring Nigerians lost in one of the worst terrorist attacks on a place of worship. The group asserted that the demolition is not only insensitive but deeply provocative, sending a chilling message to victims of terrorism across the country that their pain can be bulldozed by political whims.

The group also took exception to the “insolent and disgraceful remarks” made by Governor Aiyedatiwa against the Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Jude Arogundade, noting that the governor’s utterances were “laced with arrogance and a total disregard for the sanctity of clerical office.”

HURIWA demanded an “unreserved public apology” from the governor to the Bishop and the broader Christian community, warning against attempts to undermine or rubbish the legacy of the late Governor Akeredolu, who courageously and fairly immortalized the victims.

The rights body further lamented that Governor Aiyedatiwa, who inherited a state still reeling from terror, would “dishonour the memory of a statesman who stood fearlessly against Islamic extremism.” The group also found the silence of the Olowo of Owo, installed by Akeredolu, equally disturbing.

HURIWA called for the immediate rebuilding of the cenotaph at the same location, at the Ondo State Government’s expense, and urged Christian leaders and international human rights organizations to challenge this “dangerous precedent.”

The group implored President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and caution public officeholders who promote religious intolerance, warning that if the demolition is allowed to stand, it will embolden others to desecrate other monuments and further alienate Christian communities already enduring marginalization and violence.

“The pain of Owo has not healed, and yet the government has reopened that wound with a bulldozer. Governor Aiyedatiwa must retrace his steps, rebuild the memorial, and apologize,” the statement concluded.