Our History

The Church began in 1994 in a family home. Members of the legion of Mary from Catholic Church of Assumption Falomo led by Mr. Edouard Tossou regularly gathered every Sunday at the residence of Mr. Fanou Albert. They were later joined by others. As the population increased, they moved to a wooden kiosk along the Lakowe/Epe Expressway where the first mass was celebrated on June 23, 1996, by Rev. Fr, Joseph Akinlotan who was the parish priest of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Ikota. There were less than 20 parishioners at that first mass. Upon the transfer of Fr Akinlotan, Rev, Fr. Peter Adeyemi took over has parish priest of St. Theresa’s and continued to celebrate mass for the Centre occasionally. Edouard Tossou as the catechist usually conducts service every other Sunday of the month.

Upon the arrival of the Late Rev, Fr. Patrick Adegbite, at the Ss. Philip and James Catholic Church, New Road, in1998, he gave the much-needed support through the purchase of the two plots of land and equally ensured that masses were celebrated at least once in a month. He named the Church of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Lakowe (OLQAL). The congregation then worshipped under a makeshift hut.

Early 2007, the community with a population of about 80 parishioners embarked on the construction of a church that will accommodate upon completion not less than 700/800 people. It was challenging to achieve the task of completing the project as majority of the parishioners were mainly artisans and children with little or no financial capability, this led to the reduction of the size of the building from its original size to a 500/600 capacity. However, the population wave into the area saw the population of the Church taking a quantum leap.

Following the death of Rev, Fr. Patrick Adegbite, in October 2007, Rev, Fr. Cosmas Mordi who was his assistant was appointed the parish priest of Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya. He took charge of the affairs of OLQAL as an outstation. While he held forth, the outstation recorded tremendous growth in number and strength. This necessitated the immediate expansion of the church along its original designed capacity and completed the church. As a result of the growth, he increased the mass for Sundays to two masses and ensured there we weekday masses for the other days of the week, he acquired one additional plot of land on which the sacristy and public convenience for use of parishioners are built.

Upon the announcement of Church of Assumption, Awoyaya as a Parish, Fr Mordi was appointed as the parish priest and continued to manage the affairs OLQAL as an outstation. The church purchased an additional plot of land in 2013 to build the Reverend Father’s House bringing the number of four plots. In January 2014, he commenced the building of an ultra-modern One-Storey building as Parish House following the foundation laying the foundation laying ceremony by Very Rev, Monsignor (Prof) Francis Ogunmodede during his pastoral visit to OLQAL, in October 2013.

In October 2014, Fr Mordi, was transferred and Rev Fr Godwin Eduke resumed as parish priest of Church of Assumption, Awoyaya and continued to manage OLQAL as an outstation.

On April 2, 2015, His Grace, Alfred Adewale Martins, the Archbishop of the metropolitan See of Lagos, raised the statues of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Catholic, Lakowe from an outstation to that of a Quasi Parish. Rev Fr. Peter Kolawole Osuntope resumed as the Priest-In-Charge on November 16, 2016.

On October 31, 2023, Rev Fr Peter Osuntope was transferred, and Rev Fr Michael Oyedare resumed as Parish Priest of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Catholic, Lakowe.