- Honours Rt. Rev. Msgr. Aniagwu, Very Rev. Msgr. Okodua for decades of service
The Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, has announced a fresh round of appointments and transfer of priests across the Archdiocese, with effect from September 30, 2025. The announcement was contained in a special circular signed by the Archbishop and addressed to all priests and religious working in the Archdiocese.
According to him, the changes are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen evangelisation and pastoral care in parishes, deaneries, and commissions. The Circular read in part, “In keeping with the Church’s mission of promoting evangelisation and building authentic communities of engaged Catholics, we hereby make the following appointments and transfer of Priests in our Archdiocese with effect from September 30, 2025.”
New Deans appointed
Six priests have been appointed as Deans of different deaneries within the Archdiocese:
• Lekki Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. George Anibuike
• Maryland Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Iwu
• Satellite Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. Kingsley Oritseweyimi
• Badagry Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. Benjamin Ekpo
• Ilemba Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. John Okoro
• Iba Deanery: Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Irabor
Parish leadership reshuffled
Thirty-five priests have also been reassigned as Parish Priests. Notable among them are:
• Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Fadairo – St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja
• Fr. Theodore Martinos – St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland
• Fr. Francis Ealefor – Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Ogba
• Fr. Thaddeus Okafor – St. Mary Catholic Church, Ajegunle
• Fr. Sylvester Oladunjoye – St. Anthony Catholic Church, Gbaja
• Fr. Samuel Emeneogu – Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ibeju
Other appointments include twenty-nine priests-in-charge of quasi parishes, fifteen associate parish priests, four priests-in-residence, and chaplains to lay organisations such as the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON).
Special recognitions
Archbishop Martins used the opportunity to express profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. Msgr. John K. A. Aniagwu and Very Rev. Msgr. Bernard Ayodele Okodua, who are stepping down as Parish Priests after serving the Archdiocese faithfully for a combined period of over 100 years. “They have both played significant roles in the life and growth of the Archdiocese, and we are all grateful for their faithful services over the years,” the Archbishop noted, while assuring that both Monsignori will continue to serve the Archdiocese in other capacities.
Proper handover required
The Archbishop further directed all priests moving to new parishes to ensure proper documentation, including handover notes, parish accounts, and inventories of parish goods, to be submitted in triplicate before departure. Outstanding levies and quarterly returns, he emphasised, must also be settled.
Call to renewed commitment
In closing, Archbishop Martins commended the newly appointed priests to the maternal care of Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy and Star of Evangelisation, urging them to embrace their new roles with renewed zeal. “We expect everyone to give their very best, indeed give ALL they have, to ensure growth of the faith and its practice among our people”, he wrote.
