Sorrow, tears as Ondo buries victims of church massacre

Tears flowed freely in Owo, Ondo State yesterday as victims of gunmen attack on St Francis Catholic Church on June 5 were laid to rest. Gloom fell on the ancient town and indeed the whole of Ondo State as families, friends and acquaintances of deceased victims of the deadly attack wept over the loss of their loved ones.

Among the mourners at the Mydas Resort and Hotel, Owo venue of the burial mass was the governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, who fought back tears as he lamented his government’s failure to defend the victims of the attack.

The massive hall was filled to capacity as mourners trooped out in honour of the deceased victims.

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. They will not triumph over us forever,” he said

The governor, who reiterated the need to rejig the nation’s security architecture, added: “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. I still believe there are better words to describe it, but I am short of those words.

“We have just 22 (deceased victims) in this hall. A few others have been buried because the relatives could not wait till today.

But as at the last count, these animals came to the church and murdered 40 people.”

Among the victims whose corpses were brought into the church hall were six kids, some women and a policeman, Sergeant Nehan Omolayo.

Akeredolu, who was at the funeral mass in company with his wife, Chief Betty Anyanwu, was also joined by members of the State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. David Bamidele Oleyelogun, as well as members of the state executive council, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu.

Others include former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Engr. Ade Adetimehin and Chieftain of the APC, Chief Olusola Oke. The local government chairmen were also led by the chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALCON) Ondo State chapter, Augustine Oloruntogbe.

Responding to Governor Akeredolu’s statement, the Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, Dr. Jude Arogundade, declared that had not failed in protecting his people.

Arogundade said: “You did not 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.”

He said he had spoken with some lawmakers who told him that genocide was ongoing in the country.

Arogundade said: “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 anymore. They just talk but do not match talks with work.

“So, my brothers and sisters, you didn’t fail; your country failed you. We know the leaders that failed us and we will continue to hold them accountable.

“This will not go away,” he said.

The cleric wondered why the people of the country need to beg for state police in spite of endless attacks and killings.

He thanked the governor for accepting to designate a memorial park in honour of the victims, stressing that the masterminds of the incident have their hands soaked in blood.

The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kukah said the future of “our country is in the hands of God.”

He said: “Where we are now is not Nigeria. We don’t recognise our country any longer. But again, we have nowhere to turn to except to look up to God.

“We are prayerfully hoping on the power of God because more than any person can talk about. We call on our people to remain strong.”

Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev Emmanuel Badejo, said: “For how much longer shall this continue? How many more must die? Buhari must wake up, sit up and protect the lives of Nigerians.

“We Nigerians must take our country back to the path of righteousness. May God Almighty cause the evil doers to repent.

“Only God knows why this is happening. Only God can comfort us.”

Roll call of deceased victims

As reported by BBC, numbered among the 40 deceased victims of the attack were 60-year-old Chukwudiorinya Onuoha and his 54-year-old wife, Deborah. The couple was said to be sitting beside each other in the church they had attended with their son, Chinedu, when the attack occurred.

Until his death, Mr Onuoha was said to be working as a gardener in a university while his wife was a petty trader.

My mum was extraordinary, always willing to help the less fortunate, and was not biased,” Chinedu said, adding that he had lost a mentor in his father.

Another victim, 37-year-old Umunna Okafor and his son reportedly died of bullet wounds sustained from the attack, having used himself as a shield to try and protect his son before the bullets tore through him.

The lifeless body of the owner of an electronics shop in Owo was said to have been found lying over his son when the dust raised by the attack settled.

His brother, Cletus Okafor, recalled that the deceased victim had been diagnosed with malaria the day before the attack.

“The previous day I passed by his shop to see how he was doing.

“I wanted to drop him off at his home but he told me that it was not necessary,” Clectus told the BBC.

Another deceased victim, Caroline Agboola (68), was said to be an akara (fried bean-balls) seller beside the church before her death. Before her death, she was said to have invited her son, Tope Ibijowo, for a rice meal.

“I wish I honoured the invite. It would have been our last meal together,” Ibijowo said.

Mr Veginus Nwani was with his children in church during the attack.

His son escaped unhurt but his daughter, Chidiogo Nwani, was killed.

The 11-year-old was one of four children who died in the attack, saddling her brother with the task of taking her to the nearest hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mrs Ozurumba Bridget was with her family in church when the attack occurred. Her son, one of the worshippers injured in the attack, was being treated at one of the nearby hospitals along with more than 60 others.

Why Owo terror victims were not given mass burial

Contrary to earlier plans by the church, the slain victims of the attack were not given mass burial, principally because many of the victims hailed from the Southeast region of the country.

It was gathered that families of the victims argued that it was a taboo for an adult to be buried outside his or her native community.

Some of the affected families were said to have already collected the remains of their loved ones and buried them in their various communities.

It was gathered that the Ohaneze Ndigbo in Owo Local Government Area had helped to mobilise funds to support some families to take their loved ones to the Southeast for burial.

Official figures put the death toll at 40 while more than 74 people were injured in the attack.

‘How Ogun (god of iron) will kill perpetrators of attack’

Worshippers of Ogun, the god of iron, have rained curses on the terrorists that attacked St Francis Catholic Church on June 5, in which about 40 persons including children were killed while more than 60 people were injured.

The Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, joined the Ogun worshipers in the community to invoke the curses.

The ceremony was brief but the worshippers brought out various items through which the curses were invoked.

Women in Owo had earlier stormed the street of Owo to rain curses on the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

The Olu ode of Owo Kingdom, Chief Dada Aderobagun, performed several rituals before the curses were invoked.

An Ogun adherent, who pleaded anonymity, said the god of iron would kill the perpetrators in various ways.

He said they could be shot dead or get involved in fatal accident.

The Ogun adherents said the use of any item associated with iron would lead to the death of the culprits.