THE immediate past First Lady of Ondo State, Betty Akeredolu-Anyanwu, has referred to the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, as a “baby oba”.
She made the remark in an emotional video shared on her social media handle, as she sat beside her late husband’s graveside in Owo on Tuesday.
In the three-minute, 16-second video, she accused the revered first-class traditional ruler of betraying her late husband. She also claimed that the Owo people had destroyed the progress they made together.
“Darling, I’ve always known you to love your people to pieces; this is your Owo people. But look at what they’ve done to you. They didn’t blink an eye in rubbishing you, rubbishing your memory, rubbishing your legacy,” she said.
She also alleged that her late husband had single-handedly installed the monarch during his tenure as governor.
“As they claim, spearheaded by Olowo of Owo, whom you single-handedly (installed). This is a known fact. It’s no longer a secret. You single-handedly installed that baby Oba” she said.
The ICIR reports that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration ordered the demolition of the cenotaph built by former governor, the late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, a senior advocate, in honour of the victims of the deadly 2022 St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church massacre in Owo, following a complaint from the Olowo of Owo.
The late governor’s family, his former aides, the Catholic Church, and the Olowo had disagreed over the reasons adduced for the cenotaph’s destruction.
A viral video circulating online shows bulldozers tearing down the monument and adjoining structure where the names of the slain worshippers were inscribed, drawing public outrage and rekindling painful memories of the gruesome massacre.
Akeredolu-Anyanwu also described Aiyedatiwa as an ‘enabler’ of the demolition, adding that the exercise was carried out to settle political scores.
The former First Lady maintained that nobody was buried at the cenotaph, emphasising that it was purely constructed to honour the dead.
The monument was located directly in front of the Olowo’s palace. Some people in the ancient town believe that erecting a structure honouring the dead near the palace violated Owo tradition.
There are also claims that the land had been taken from a family in the town by the Ondo State Government for road construction. The land was eventually not used for the project, and the family pleaded with the late Akeredolu to restore its land.
While the family wanted the land back, reports claimed the Olowo also desired the land since it was close to his palace. The ICIR could not independently verify these claims.
Olowo claims responsibility for demolition
Meanwhile, the Olowo-in-Council released a statement on the demolition to absolve the state government of any blame for the exercise. Part of the statement reads, “In view of the public reactions generated by the demolition of the Memorial Park supposedly built in honour of June 5, 2022, murderous attack victims at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the Palace wishes to say unequivocally that the request for this action was at the instance of His Imperial Majesty, Olowo of Owo and the entire good people of the kingdom.
“It must be made clear that the decision to site the structure in that particular location was resisted by the Olowo-in-Council and frowned upon by the people of the community when it was being conceived by the government of the late Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
“All advice to the late governor that celebrating the dead in any guise around the palace is not in conformity with the age-long culture and traditions of Owo was defiantly dismissed, even at a time a protest was made by concerned Owo youths and stakeholders to that effect, which the then governor disregarded. The above position of the palace is vindicated by the enthusiasm shown by the Owo people and the deluge of commendations across sundry media platforms in support of the demolition.”
More attacks on Olowo by Akeredolu’s widow
Attacking the Olowo further, Akeredolu-Anyanwu said, “The Oba that doesn’t want a so-called cemetery, but that’s not a cemetery. There’s one behind his house. He sleeps with the dead. All the Olowos of Owo, where were they buried? Were they not buried in that place he’s living? Look at the hypocrisy!”
She vowed to fight and protect the legacy of her late husband.
The ICIR reports that Akeredolu, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NMA) died on December 27, 2023, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He led the state for about six years, and he was the second Owo indigene to lead Ondo State, following Michael Adekunle Ajasin (1979-1983)
Akeredolu died barely a year after he buried his mother, Lady Evangelist Grace Akeredolu.
He was succeeded by his deputy, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. Several reports indicate that Aiyedatiwa’s and Akeredolu’s camps were not on good terms in his last months on earth.
Aiyedatiwa’s camp saw the late governor as unwilling to relinquish power while battling for his life.
Rather than stay in the state, the late governor spent weeks in his home in Ibadan, Oyo State, after returning from Germany, where he received treatment.
Shortly after Aiyedatiwa took over power, many of Akeredolu’s appointees resigned from the government.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.