“Owo Cursed Me with Rituals — A Widow and Mother of Their Own,” Says Betty Akeredolu at 72, But Critics Say She Threw the First Punch

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Former Ondo First Lady Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has sparked intense public debate following her bold claim that she was cursed in a ritual by traditionalists in Owo, the hometown of her late husband, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Speaking on her 72nd birthday, the widow described the alleged act as a public disgrace enabled by the town’s traditional leadership.

“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 Ondo State.”

The emotional statement quickly went viral, drawing both sympathy and condemnation. While many praised her courage in speaking out against cultural practices that allegedly humiliate widows, others accused her of hypocrisy and selective storytelling.

Critics were quick to recall earlier controversial remarks made by Betty Akeredolu, where she allegedly referred to the Owo monarch as a “baby king”, a comment many consider deeply disrespectful within Yoruba cultural norms.

One viral post on X (formerly Twitter) read:

“Be like woman don dey mad. She’s playing the victim now but forgets she called the Oba a ‘baby king’? She threw the first punch and is now crying foul.”

Another wrote:

“Respect is reciprocal. You can’t insult an entire tradition and expect silence. Two wrongs don’t make a right though—but let’s not ignore the whole story.”

Supporters of the former First Lady, however, argue that her statement reflects years of quiet tension and cultural misogyny, especially surrounding her role as an outspoken woman in a deeply patriarchal setting.

Meanwhile, the Owo Traditional Council has yet to issue an official response, though insiders suggest there is growing discomfort over the public fallout and international attention the matter is now drawing.

This latest controversy adds a new chapter to the already sensitive legacy of the late Governor Akeredolu and the fractured relationship between his widow and his hometown.

As Nigerians continue to debate the drama unfolding in Ondo State, Betty Akeredolu’s remarks have reignited broader conversations around the treatment of women, the power of tradition, and the thin line between outspokenness and provocation in public life.