…As church reopens
From Jimoh Ahmed, Owo
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Ten months after the deadly terrorists attack that took away the lives of 41 innocent worshippers and many others injured at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa Street, Owo, Ondo State on June 5, last year, the church has reopened for worship.
The Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, Revd Father Jude Arogundade presided over the worship service on Sunday.
The church has been closed since the unfortunate incident that befell the church for security reasons and as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the massacre.
Arogundade who led hundreds of the worshippers in the reopening service which also took place alongside the Easter Sunday service congratulated the members for seeing the day and prayed for the souls of the dead and also commiserated with their families.
In his sermon, Arogundade who expressed sadness about the massacre said the attack would go down in history of Yorubaland as the worst that happened to the church.
He, however, said the June 5 incident will never intimidate the church and the members.
“No matter how sad it is, no matter the agonising memory, the June 5 attack cannot intimidate us”.
The Bishop expressing displeasure with thegovernment for failing to provide security for her citizens.
“I have never seen a nation that is comfortable watching her citizens being killed every day. It does not happen anywhere in the world”.
He therefore called on the government to wake up and show strength and courage by making sure that those who perpetrated the June 5 massacre and in other places in the country were brought to book.
Some of the victims and survivors of the attack who spoke with The Hope gave thanks to God for still being alive despite having permanent scars and disabilities.
Mrs Josephine Ejelonu whose two legs were shattered by hand grenades and with permanent scars, recalled the gory memory of the ugly incident.
Ejelonu who said that she was in the hospital for several months disclosed that she passed through a horrible experience during her travails.
According to her, the attackers threw two hand grenades at her where she was hiding on corpses of dead victims, but only managed to escape out of the scene with her mangled body.
In the same vein, Mrs Christianah Oladele who had gunshot on her back also gave God the glory for her survival.
Christianah who is still in pains said the attack will not deter her from worshipping God and coming to church.
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, Akoko Southwest Local Government of Ondo State, Mr Augustine Oloruntogbe, who also worshiped there on that fateful day, described the attack as the worst crime against humanity.
Oloruntogbe commiserated with the families of the dead and prayed for the surviving victims as well as members of the church while admonishing them not to be deterred from serving God.
