Owo Attack: I Failed My People But Enemies Won’t Triumph, Akeredolu Weeps At Funeral

Emotions rose and tears flowed freely on Friday when funeral mass was held for victims of terrorists’ attacks on the Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa, Owo, Ondo State with the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, admitting he had failed his people.

Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, is serving out his second term as governor of Ondo State. Attending the mass alongside his wife, Betty Anyanwu, the governor could not contain his emotion as he wept during his speech, stopping intermittently to look at the dozens of corpses placed in front of the faithful and officials of government as well as traditional rulers who turned up for the requiem mass.

While acknowledging that he had failed to protect the victims of the terror attack, he however added that the forces on the other side are evil, assuring that they will not triumph forever.

“We have failed to defend these people. Not because we have not tried, but because these forces on the other side are evil and they have support,” he said.

“They will not triumph over us forever.”

He called on the central government to rise up to the occasion of doing something, and said, “When I see the sea of heads that are here; it speaks volumes. What has happened to us in Owo in Ondo state is indescribable.

“A lot of words are used to qualify it: dastardly, horrendous. But I still believe there are words to use to describe it, but I am still short of those words.

“We have just 22 (deceased) in this hall. A few of them have been buried because the relatives couldn’t wait till today. But as at the last count, these animals came to the church and murdered 40 people.”

But the Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, Dr. Jude Arogundade, absolved the governor of any failure saying, “You didn’t fail. You are a strong soldier. Your determination to protect those who voted you into power is unquestionable. This was done by cowards. You have tried your best,” the Bishop said.

The Bishop added that, “If this is not genocide, I don’t know what genocide is. I know they have promised us they will find the killers; all these are flimsy promises.

“What is this? Why do people have no shame? This country, you don’t have shame any more.

“They just talk but do not match talks with work. So, my brothers and sisters, you didn’t fail, your country failed you, and we know the leaders that failed us and we will continue to hold them accountable. This will not go away,” he said.

THE WHISTLER had reported that at least 40 people, including children were killed on Sunday, June 5 by yet to be identified gunmen during a mass service at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

The incident left about 80 others with different degrees of injuries.