Akeredolu’s Ex-Aide Alleges What Olowo-In-Council Left Out On Demolished Memorial Park

A former Chief Press Secretary to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Mr. Olabode Richard Olatunde, has publicly refuted claims by the Olowo-in-Council regarding the construction and recent demolition of the Owo Memorial Park.

Reacting to a statement from the traditional council which alleged that the late governor ignored objections and went ahead to build the park near the Olowo’s palace, Olatunde insisted that the narrative is not only misleading but amounts to a posthumous indictment of a man who governed with integrity and is no longer alive to defend himself.

“The crux of this issue is not the demolition itself,” Olatunde said, “but the unfair attempt to rewrite the facts and tarnish the legacy of a man who followed due process every step of the way.”

According to him, contrary to the Council’s position that the siting of the park was resisted, the project followed extensive consultations.

He revealed that “a meeting was held at the Governor’s Office, where the Olowo-in-Council granted explicit approval for the project.”

Olatunde listed the traditional leaders in attendance at the meeting to include High Chief Barr. Kunle Ijalana (Adanigbo of Iloro), High Chief Sydney Ogunleye (Akowa of Iloro), High Chief Osuporu, High Chief Famakinwa (Ojumu of Owo), and High Chief Abimbola Omoloja (Olugbaragada). Notably, he said High Chiefs Ogunleye and Omoloja spoke on behalf of the Olowo-in-Council at the meeting.

Also present on the government side were Chief Gbenga Ale, Mr. Dare Aragbaiye, Engr. Raimi Aminu, Pastor Akin Olotu, and Olatunde himself—all Owo indigenes who served in the Akeredolu administration.

“There is no record of any objection from the Olowo-in-Council or the broader Owo community before, during, or immediately after the construction,” he maintained. “The first protest emerged on June 30, 2024 — months after Akeredolu’s passing.”

Olatunde further explained that the location of the park, close to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owaluwa — the site of the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack — was a deliberate choice to preserve the memory of the victims at the actual scene of the tragedy. He added that the land used for the project was already acquired by the Ondo State Government under former Governor Olusegun Mimiko for public interest, and thus was legally designated for such civic use.

He also recounted a significant twist in the land’s history. “When the Olowo later requested a portion of the land, Governor Akeredolu initially agreed. But upon receiving a protest letter from the Arala family — the original owners — citing that it should not be diverted for private use, the Governor promptly revoked the allocation to uphold due process,” he stated.

Olatunde noted that Governor Akeredolu was never rigid about the park’s location and had even offered to move the project to Ijebu-Owo or another suitable site within the town, if the palace had expressed discomfort. “If the argument now is that the Olowo-in-Council felt pressured to agree, it must also be acknowledged that options were offered. Nothing was forced,” he said.

While acknowledging the authority of the Olowo within his domain and that of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to act on state-owned structures, Olatunde insisted that the focus should not be on rewriting history or discrediting Akeredolu’s legacy.

“If this is what the people of Owo want, so be it. But we must remember that Akeredolu loved this town and worked for its growth. His legacy deserves to be preserved, not dragged through the mud,” he concluded.