Religion
Owo Church Massacre: Victims are still in Groaning Pain as the Church Reopens.
Owo Church Massacre: Victims are still in groaning pain as the church reopens.
Terrorists attacked the St. Francis Catholic Cathedral in Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022, killing at least 40 worshippers.
NewsReport gathered that St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State, will momentarily reopen on Sunday for the Easter service, ten months after a terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 40 worshippers.
Jude Arogundade, the bishop of the Ondo Catholic Diocese, made the announcement on Saturday.
“Since the unfortunate incident that befell our members at the Saint Francis Cathedral in Owo on June 5, 2022, the church has been closed down for security reasons and as a mark of respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.”
“The church shall be opened again for Easter Sunday. The government of Ondo State is as well planning to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the massacre in honour of our fallen heroes,” Mr Arogundade said.
But a member of the church committee on the welfare of victims of the terror attack, Perpetua Ezibo, said some of the injured victims are still groaning in pain.
At least 40 worshippers were killed and hundreds more injured when gunmen invaded the church during the Sunday Mass. The terrorists hurled explosives and opened fire on the worshippers before escaping from the scene of the bloodbath.
Many of the injured victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre and St. Louis Hospital, both in Owo, for treatment.
But the police have yet to bring the terrorists to justice.
Mrs. Ezibo, whose daughter was a victim of the attack, told our reporter that about five survivors are scheduled to undergo another round of surgery.
“She is getting better, but she is going for another surgery,” she said with reference to her daughter.
“You know she is a young girl. Aside from my daughter, the victims going for another surgery that I am aware of are about four,” Mrs. Ezibo said.
“It is not the government that is sponsoring them; it is the Catholic Diocese of Ondo State that is sponsoring them,” she added.
Mrs. Ezibo said some of the victims who have recovered from their injuries have resumed their normal business activities, but many still feel the trauma of the incident.
“Some have gone back to their normal businesses, some are still managing themselves, and some still have fear in them. That is why we need to go back to that church. Some people may be afraid to come back to the church; as a human being, that is normal,” she said.
Temporary Reopening
The catechist of the church, Jonathan Awolo, told PREMIUM TIMES that the church is not reopening permanently yet because the reconstruction work is still ongoing.
“We are not opening finally because we are still building something there again concerning the event. It is just that the church wants to bless the place so that they can start mass there. It is not officially opening, but we want to have masses there. That is why the bishop is coming to bless the place so that we will be able to start,” he said.
“They have finished everything but the one they are building, the monument for the remembrance of those people. We are still building that one; it is not yet completed. Probably, the final opening will be in June,” he added.
Mr. Awolo was in church during the attack but escaped unharmed.
“I am not happy that for many months we have been travelling far to celebrate mass. It is not good enough. It is a thing of joy for people. We will be able to manage the place for mass till the final opening.”
Mrs. Ezibo also expressed her readiness to resume mass with her relatives.
“I am personally happy because if we do not enter that church, we cannot know that we are healed. Because I am a health worker, I have seen accidents. It is like I am seeing it as a usual occurrence; it can happen at any time,” she said.
“I am glad to return to the church because if I do not, the God who saved me is a liar.” Definitely, I am going back to the church with my family.”
