Shame on Owo, Shame on Ondo – Betty breaks Silence on Curse, Demolition

• •• Marks 72nd Birthday With Sharp Rebuke of Ondo Govt

Former First Lady of Ondo State, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has again condemned the demolition of a monument in Owo built in honour of the victims of the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church massacre, describing it as a betrayal of justice and memory.

In a deeply reflective piece marking her 72nd birthday on Sunday, July 20, the widow of late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the destruction of the cenotaph under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was an unforgivable affront to history and humanity.

“The monument was not just concrete and marble; it was a symbol of grief, memory, and a testament to my late husband’s commitment to justice,” she wrote.
“That it was destroyed by the very government he once led, under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s watch, was a deep betrayal.”

Dr. Akeredolu, who has reinvented her public engagement through writing and advocacy since becoming a widow in 2023, did not mince words in calling out what she termed state-enabled desecration.

“My public condemnation of this cruelty was met with vitriol and vicious attacks from government officials and loyalists defending the indefensible,” she revealed.

In a shocking twist, the former First Lady also recounted being subjected to a public ritual curse by some traditionalists in Owo, allegedly under the auspices of the town’s monarch.

“I was cursed in a ritual orchestrated by Owo traditionalists, enabled by their Oba. A widow. A mother of their own,” she said. “It was a moment of shame, not just for Owo, but for the state.”

Despite the emotional weight of these events, Dr. Akeredolu struck a defiant tone:

“But through it all, I rise. Having survived breast cancer for 28 years and counting, walking through grief and public scorn with head held high, I am still standing. Strong. Healthy. Whole.”

Dr. Akeredolu, who served as First Lady between 2017 and 2023, used her birthday message to reflect on her continuing advocacy for women’s rights, cancer awareness, rural health, and sustainable development, declaring that widowhood had not silenced her voice but sharpened her purpose.

“I celebrate not just another year, but the power of resilience. Without sounding immodest, I am a symbol of strength and vitality,” she declared. “And at 72, I am not just living, I am thriving.”