Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos · Agege Deanery
About Our Parish
Est. 1984 · Boys’ Town, Ipaja, Lagos · The Oldest Parish in Ipaja
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Written by Pat Asakome
Our Founding
Born of Faith, Built on Sacrifice
It all started on a large expanse of land donated by Mr Ferdinand Hooper, a Togolese-born Nigerian resident in Yaba. The Catholic Bishop of Lagos at the time was Kwao Aggey, whose evangelical prowess extended to and beyond the Ipaja land. He approved the construction of the Boystown Project, and when he died on March 13, 1972, the building next to Hooper House was named Aggey House in his memory.
Then came His Eminence Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, who appointed Reverend Father John Olufemi Burke to care for the Boystown Project. Fr. Burke sank a borehole, built a pavilion, and created a space for destitute boys to be trained in arts and crafts — a place that doubled as a worship centre. When the congregation outgrew the space, Hooper House and the Rev. Father’s House were constructed between 1979 and 1982.
In the last week of May 1984, His Eminence Archbishop Okogie donated ₦43,000 for a steel structure with an aluminium roof — and thus began, formally, St. Ferdinand Catholic Church, canonically received on 28th May 1984, almost on the very feast day of its patron saint.
1984
Year of Founding
Our Mission
“To revive the zeal of our Parishioners to serve and cultivate a personal relationship with God as Catholics, promote Love, Peace and Unity amongst them, while assiduously engaging in evangelisation within our Parish and the Lagos Archdiocese.”
40+
Years of Service
10+
Daughter Parishes Founded
33+
Parish Societies & Organisations
Best Missioners Award
Archdiocese of Lagos — 2009
A Mother Parish
Daughter Parishes & Station Churches
From its humble beginnings, St. Ferdinand has been a prolific mother church — giving birth to over ten daughter parishes and station churches across Ipaja, Alimoso, and beyond.
St. Catherine, Alakoko
St. Cyprian, Oke-Oba
St. Joseph, Gowon Estate
St. Patrick, Igbogila
St. Alphonsus, Aboru
St. Pius, Ayobo
Church of Transfiguration, Ikola
Church of Nativity, Ajasa Command
Corpus Christi, Ikola Odunsi
Church of Annunciation, Ishefun
Pastoral Leadership
Parish Priests Through the Years
A succession of devoted priests has shaped St. Ferdinand Parish into what it is today. We honour each one for their unique contribution.
Rev. Fr. John Hannon SMA
Founder & First Parish Priest
Completed the church building, extended pastoral work to Idimu for St. Francis, St. Joseph’s Gowon Estate, St. Catherine’s Alakuko, St. Cyprian’s Oke-Oba, St. Theresa’s Ifako, St. Kizito’s Iju and started St. Lawrence’s Paiko Idimu.
Rev. Fr. John Olufemi Burke
Pioneer / Pre-Founding Era — c.1979
Appointed by Archbishop Okogie to care for the Boystown Project. Sank a borehole, built a pavilion for destitute boys, and built Hooper House and the Rev. Father’s House between 1979 and 1982. The clinic is named in his honour.
Very Rev. Monsignor Christopher Edema Boyo
Parish Priest
Established St. Pius Ayobo as a station church, improved St. Lawrence Paiko, and built the Multipurpose Hall — now named the Rev. Father John Hannon Hall. Also oversaw infrastructure improvements across the parish.
Very Rev. Fr. Peter Oke
Parish Priest
Completed the Rev. Fr. John Hannon Hall, renovated the church interior including the altar and choir gallery, built pillar caps, tarred the car park, resuscitated the clinic, and built the Church of Annunciation Ishefun and St. Bernadette’s Akinogun. Won the Best Missioners Award in the Archdiocese of Lagos in 2009.
Rev. Fr. Mike Etekpo
Parish Priest — Recent
Transformed the clinic into a hospital, built a modern toilet block, and made the church fully air-conditioned. Presided over the simultaneous ordination of twelve priests — a historic first for St. Ferdinand Parish — including Rev. Fr. Samuel Emeneogu and Rev. Fr. Oluwatoyin Falana. Completed the new Rev. Father’s House, blessed by Archbishop Dr. Adewale Martin.
King Ferdinand III of Castile & León
1199 – 1252 · Canonised by Pope Clement X, 1671
May 30
Feast & Memorial Day
Our Patron Saint
Born to Alfonso IX, King of León, and Berengeria, daughter of Alfonso III of Castile, Ferdinand ascended to the throne of Castile in 1217 — when his mother abdicated in his favour — and succeeded to the crown of León in 1230. A member of the Third Order of St. Francis, he took the wisest men of the kingdoms as his advisers.
He devoted his life to the liberation of Spain from the Saracens, capturing vast territories and leaving only Granada and Alicante by the time of his death in Seville on 30 May 1252. He founded the University of Salamanca — the Athens of Spain — built churches, founded monasteries, and endowed hospitals across his kingdom.
His body is said to have remained incorrupt, with several miracles manifested at his tomb. His feast and memorial falls on 30th May — the very same day St. Ferdinand Parish was formally received in 1984.
“The curse of one poor woman is more than a whole army of Saracens.”
— St. Ferdinand III of Castile
Justice
Charity to the Poor
Deep Piety
Patron of Education
A Word of Gratitude
“I salute the Rev. Fathers, Rev. Sisters, Catechists, Seminarians, Mass servers, who have passed through this great and beautiful parish of ours. I salute all our joyful and hardworking parishioners. Without you all, this church and parish would not have been what it is today.”
— Pat Asakome · Parish Historian
Well done · Nagode · Daluno · Eshe o