St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Felele Lokoja
P. O. Box 880
Parish Priest
REV. FR DANIEL SULE OMEIZA
Parish Priest
REV. FR. ODOMEJA ONUSE LEONARD
Before 1991, there was nothing called St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Felele.
All Catholics living within and around Felele were attending the Cathedral church of Immaculate Conception, Lokoja.
But with time, the people who are mostly late Mr. James Guruwa, Mr. Thomas Jimba and Peter Dangara of the same family and from Bassa village, though of distance and the inconveniences involved in attending Mass at the Cathedral and decided to seek for the help of the Cathedral Administrator to start an outstation at Felele.
With the nod of the Cathedral Administrator, James Guruwa sought the services of Sunday Gwogwo from Irepeni as leader at prayers.
He was there for some time and left on his own.
They started the first worship under a mango tree in James Guruwa’s compound.
When Sunday Gwogwo left, Mr. James Guruwa went home and brought Johan Shigaba to lead the people at prayer and they decided to build a hut with thatched leaves as a place of worship in Bassa Komo settlement.
Then, they decided to make James Guruwa the head or the elder in charge of the church.
The following people served as leaders at prayer following the departure of Sunday Gwogwo; Jonah Shigaba, Amos Hilobu and David S. Guda who was made the first Catechist of the outstation in year 2002.
The first Mass was celebrated on 14th February 1993, which was the 6th Sunday of the year A by Late. Revd. Fr. Jerome Bello, the then Cathedral Administrator.
The first Mass was celebrated inside this thatched house and it started by 10.00 am.
The catechist, David Guda assisted the Reverend Father during the Mass.
The number of people who attended the first Mass stood as follows:
Because of the creation of the State and Lokoja being the capital, the population continued to grow.
The second Mass was celebrated by Revd. Fr. Cyril Obanure on 21st March 1993.
The attendance stood at 71.
The late Bishop, Most Revd. Dr. Joseph S. Ajomo visited them in July and celebrated Mass with them.
It was then that he assured the people of God that they would be a parish of their own.
With the growth of the population, the need to build a befitting church arose and they sought to buy a land for that purpose.
This was brought to the notice of the Cathedral Administrator, Revd. Fr. Francis Ododo who acquired the land for the building of the church.
Then, late Bishop J. S. Ajomo of blessed memory gave us a donation of #50,000 since the collection from the people could not go anywhere.
However, before then, through the help of late James Guruwa, a piece of land was acquired for this purpose.
But unfortunately before they could start, problem arose on the land for somebody had gone to the Local Government Town Planning Office to obtain a C of O. on that land.
It was here the negotiation started and the church acquired ten plots for the church building, father’s house and other developments.
The man agreed to sell the land to the church and the #50,000.000 donation from the Bishop was used to purchase the land.
Later on, the church received an anonymous donation of #50,000, which is suspected to have come from the Bishop.
The building of the church commenced and was completed within two years.
However, it is worthy to mention here that when the people of God wanted to develop their land, the community violently came up, destroyed and pulled down the walls, demanding that the church was encroaching into their land where they want to use as cemetery for the community.
However, this was resolved amicably.
The following people were here to celebrate Mass within the period mentioned; Rev. Frs. J. K. Bello, Lawrence Balogun, Michael Sasa and Francis Ododo.
Later on, Rev Fr. Francis Okudaje was posted to take control of the people of God here as quasi priest.
After Fr. Okudaje came Fr. Ambrose Olowo
With the ordination and installation of Most Rev. Dr. Martin Olorunmolu as the Bishop of Lokoja, the status of the quasi parish changed.
On the 3rd of June 2006, the parish was created by the new Bishop and it took effect from July 1st2006.
Rev. Fr. Denis-Mary Eze was appointed as the first parish priest of St. Matthew’s Parish Felele. The first Mass was celebrated on 2nd
July by the newly appointed parish priest as a parish.
The area it covers includes; St. Matthew’s Felele as parish center, Polytechnic Chaplaincy, St. John’s Crusher, St. Jude’s Bassa Village, St. Michael’s Zariagi, Sacred Heart Irepeni, and Old & new Signal.
Priest |
---|
Rev. Fr. J. K. Bello |
Rev. Fr. Lawrence Balogun |
Rev. Fr. Michael Sasa |
Rev. Fr. Francis Ododo |
Rev. Fr. Francis Okudaje |
Rev. Fr. Ambrose Olowo |
Rev. Fr. Denis-Mary Eze |
Rev. Fr. Mark Ajiga |
Rev. Fr. Steven Salami |
Outstation | Catechist |
---|---|
FELELE | MR. DAVID SHIGABA |
CRUSHER | MR. FIDELIS JERE |
BASSA VILLAGE | MR. SOLOMON NWAMA |
KOGI STATE POLYTECHNIC |
Society | Leader |
---|---|
Catholic Men Organisation | Mr. Moses Afuwai |
Catholic Women Organisation | Mrs. Cordelia Usman |
Parish Laity Council | Mr. Joseph Ndubisi |
Parish Pastorial Council | Mr. Pius Mbamalu |
Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria | Mr. Benjamin Ogbeja |
St. Dominic Society | Mr. D. A. Ada |
St. Monica Society | Mrs. Veronica |
St. Joachim Society | Mr. Joseph Ndubisi |
St. Anna Society | Mrs. Onyekaozulu |
St. Margaret Mary Society | Mrs. Alice Ismaila |
St. Jude Society | Mr. Ogundusi |
Bloc Rosary | Mr. Ezekiel Abraham |
Legion of Mary | Mr. Martin Igwe |
Catholic Charismatic Renewal | Mr. Samuel Nweke |
St. Vincent De Paul Society | Mr. Olonilebi |
Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary | Mr. Joseph Atojoko |
All Saints, Igala | Mr. Joseph Atojoko |