Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of late Governor Akeredolu, condemns the Owo Monument Demolition, calling it “profound insensitivity.”
Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has strongly condemned the recent Owo Monument Demolition, describing it as an act of “profound insensitivity” and “moral bankruptcy.”
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She views the destruction of the monument, built in memory of the June 5, 2022, Owo Catholic church massacre, as a clear manifestation of leadership failure.
In a statement shared on her X handle on Wednesday morning, Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu expressed her deep disappointment and shock.
The monument, erected by her late husband, served as a solemn tribute to the lives lost in the tragic incident.
She questioned the rationale behind dismissing the monument’s value and demolishing it for a shopping complex, stating, “A world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit.”
According to Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the demolition is not merely a political misstep but an affront to decency.
She believes it insults the victims and disrespects their families. She criticised the leadership of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, saying, “Lucky Aiyedatiwa has shown us who he is, and history will remember.”
A world-class society does not erase its pain to make way for profit.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu linked the Owo event to other recent demolitions. Reacting to the demolition of Mr. Peter Obi’s brother’s property by the Lagos State government, she said, “My broda, sorry about what happened. Like Lagos like Owo, we are in the season of demolition.”
She suggested these demolitions occur because “guy men” occupy positions of power.
She specifically detailed the Owo incident: “On June 21, 2025, Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered the demolition of the monument built in memory of Owo Catholic church massacre that shocked the nation on June 5, 2022. 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.”
She further elaborated on the monument’s significance: “That monument, built by my late husband, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, a son of Owo, was a solemn tribute to lives violently cut short in a house of worship. It symbolised collective mourning, remembrance, and healing.”
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu found the justification for demolition, to make way for a “world-class shopping complex,” to reveal a “disturbing level of moral bankruptcy.”
She reiterated that a world-class society preserves memory, honours the dead, and 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 dishonours the legacy of a governor who governed with empathy and stood for justice,” she wrote.
The former First Lady also dismissed any defence of the act, noting, “The voiceover defending this abomination only deepens the outrage. How daft can one be to assume that the value of life, memory, and honour must be measured by profit margins? An honorary doctorate cannot mask a glaring absence of humanity and scholarship.”
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The statement has since sparked a wave of reactions, with many Nigerians expressing their outrage over the demolition.
