History of Parish
St. Martin’s Catholic Church began in the year 1979. The first mass in Ajaokuta Steel City was celebrated at what is called today St. Martin’s parish on 4th February, 1979 with Twelve (12) catholic faithful. In 1987,when the parish i.e St. Peter’s relocated to the permanent site, the Catholic faithful from Geregu Camp, MTI quarters, security batcher and police quarters were left behind. Due to the distance, many families found it difficult to convey their family members to St. Peters’ for mass. In order to avoid losing members to other churches, Bro. R.O. Onyegasi and Mr J.J. Salami now the catechist of the parish organised Sunday evening service for the catholic faithful.
Thanks be to God, the parish priest of St. Peter’s then who is now our present Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Martin Olorunmolu saw the level of hardship of the people and the pastoral need, decided to be celebrating evening masses on Sundays every forth nights. In the year 1993, the parish priest Rev. Fr. Martin Olorunmolu now the Bishop approved the creation of the outstation which was named after his name; St. Martin’s Catholic Church Geregu Camp, Ajaokuta.
In the year 1st of July, 2012, St. Martin’s was carved out from St. Peter’s Catholic Church and created as a parish. Rev. Fr. Olowonihi Jude was appointed as the first parish priest of the parish. The parish has seven out stations with St. Martin’s serves as the parish head quarter. The following are the stations;
- St. Martin’s Church Geregu Camp
- St. John’s Catholic Church Geregu Village
- St. Paul’s Catholic Church African Camp
- All Saints’ Catholic Church Ajaokuta Village
- St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wimpey
- St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Niger Bridge
- St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Apimira
In terms of the church population, the seven – station’s church has about Two Hundred and twenty families. Majority of the members are company workers whose family members are not living with them. The total population is about Six Hundred including the children.
We thank the Lord for the creation of the parish. This has brought the church more closely to the people in that area and is giving them opportunities to grow more in faith and numbers also. Within this short time of the creation of the parish, we have celebrated the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, Marriages and Anointing of the Sick. The parish is also making effort to develop the physical structures of the church.