St. Timothy Catholic Church, Ojodu started in 1983. The closest Parishes to Ojodu then were St. Leo’s Ikeja and St. Theresa’s Ifako Agege.It was discovered that there were many Catholics living around Ojodu area who have moved to other churches because of distance of Catholic Churches. Mr. Augustine Adebambo who had just moved to Ojodu then decided to consult the then Parish Priest of St. Theresa’s, Rev. Fr. Ford Hannon who coincidentally had already purchased 4 plots of Land through the help of Late Mr. Emmanuel Jimba. That parcel of Land is where the Church building is today.
Rev. Fr. Hannon gave approval that the Land be cleared and a Mass Centre should begin there. Since Ojodu was under Ikeja jurisdiction as it was not within the Agege geopolitical area, the centre was later ceded to St. Leo’s Ikeja.
St. Leo’s Assistant Parish Priest – Rev. Fr. Martin Kavanah inaugurated the Mass Centre on April 13, 1983 with six people in attendance.
At early stages, Masses were held on Wednesday only. This went on for some time before it started to enjoy Sunday Masses. Mr. Adebambo was appointed the pioneer Catechist to coordinate activities in the station and report to the Parish Priest in St. Leo’s Ikeja.
Parish Status
October 11th, 1999, will forever be remembered by the Parishioners of St. Timothy Ojodu. On this day, the Parish Priest of St. Leo’s Ikeja; Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Aniagwu announced that his Eminence Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okojie has approved and declared St. Timothy as one of the three new Parishes created in the archdiocese. The whole congregations were excited with jubilation. The then Associate Parish Priest of St. Leo’s, Late Rev. Fr. Ethelbert Iwu of blessed memory was immediately posted as the first Parish Priest of the newly created Parish. The new Parish has St. Benjamin’s Olowora as its outstation
The Father’s house was completed in the year 2000 and was commissioned the same year on April 17th 2000, before the pioneer Parish Priest moved in to reside there.
Church Building
The Pioneer Parish Priest, late Rev. Fr. Iwu constituted a fund-raising committee before he left for United States of America for further studies on April 29th 2001, during his absence; Rev. Fr. Vitalis Ekemiri acted as the Parish Priest. Rev. Fr. Innocent Amasiorah was posted thereafter as the Parish Priest on May 20th, 2001 from St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland.
The Church building committee was constituted with Mr. Isaac Obajuwana as the chairman and Architect Ikechukwu Ofoma as member and others. The fund raising for the first phase of the Church took place on 4th May 2002 with Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Ijebu Ode Diocese. The foundation laying ceremony took place on 7th December 2002 by the then Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okojie.
The construction of the Church building commenced immediately and within a short period the ground floor was completed. An Altar and chapel of perpetual adoration with sacristy were created
The Church was roofed in November 2005, and the block work took place between January and August 2006 before Rev. Fr. Amasiorah was transferred to St. Mary’s Ajegunle. Rev. Fr. Gabriel Amolegbe took over from Rev. Fr. Amasiorah on September 30th 2006.
The first fund-raising committee under the chairperson of Mrs. Banke Akinlaja was initiated by the Laity Council on June 16, 2009, to raise funds for the finishing and painting of the Church. The Church building was dedicated on 15th May 2011 to the glory of God by the Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okojie.
Physical Building
St. Timothy Catholic Church which started with just six members today has a population of about 2,500 members with a big edifice for worship. Father’s House, equipped as well as Parish Hall and other facilities
ST. TIMOTHY’S CATHOLIC HOSPITAL
Our Parish is blessed with a vibrant hospital: St. Timothy’s Catholic Hospital which was inaugurated by His Grace. Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins on 2nd August 2014. Though, the hospital has been in existence as a clinic before this date. The hospital has about 56 staffs, 4 resident doctors and 5 consultants, all under the administration of the Parish Priest.
SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
The Parish is blessed with societies and organizations that are very active. These include: the Catholic Men Organization (C.M.O), Catholic Women Organization (C.W.O), the Young Christian Workers of Nigeria (Y.C.W), the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON), Missionary Childhood Association, and a whole lot of pious societies that are very active as well. The parish has about twenty-six registered societies.
The Father’s house was completed in the year 2000 and was commissioned the same year on April 17th 2000, before the pioneer Parish Priest moved in to reside there.
MILESTONES IN THE PARISH:
- The Parish became a Parish in the year 1999.
- The foundation laying ceremony took place on the 7th of December, 2002 by the then Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okojie.
- The church building was dedicated by Anthony Cardinal Okojie on the 15th of May, 2011
- The Parish Hospital, St Timothy’s Hospital was dedicated on the 2nd of August, 2014.
- The first Parish car was bought in 2005
- The second Parish car was bought in the year 2022
- Renovations of the church and the church environments.
INDIGENOUS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE PARISH
- Rev. Fr. Austin Ekeh
- Rev. Fr. Anthony Adebambo
- Rev. Fr. George Ukara
- Rev. Fr. Francis Adekoya
- Rev. Fr. Paul Nwokolo
- Rev. Fr. Augustine Dodo
- Rev. Sr. Mary Adebambo
- Rev. Sr. Theodorah Imie
PRIESTS THAT HAVE WORKED IN THE PARISH:
- Late Rev. Fr. Ethelbert Ifeanyi Iwu (1999 – 2001)
- Rev. Fr. Innocent Amasiorah (2001 – 2006)
- Rev. Fr. Martin Uwakwe (Assistant) (2002 - 2005)
- Rev. Fr. Livinus Obianusi (Assistant) (2005 - 2009)
- Very Rev. Fr. Gabriel Kunle Amolegbe (2006 – 2017)
- Rev. Fr. Livinus Obianusi (Assistant) (2005 - 2009)
- Rev. Fr. Gabriel Udoh (Assistant) (2009 - 2012)
- Rev. Fr. Gabriel Abhulimen (Assistant) (2011 - 2014)
- Rev. Fr. Henry Ukaegbu (Assistant) (2014 - 2017)
- Rev. Fr. Martin Iwueze (2017 – 2021)
- Rev. Fr. Marcus Famosanya (Assistant) (2017 - 2020)
- Rev. Fr. Crescent Chisom Iloka (Assistant) (2020 – 2021)
- Rev. Fr. Fidelis Umole (2021 till date)
- Rev. Fr. Gabriel Sekunda (Assistant) (2023 till date)