Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins at 65: Portrait of a foremost cleric

By Neta Nwosu

He has three “greatest moments” in his life: The day he was born. The day he was baptized. The day he was ordained a priest, a development which has since reached a notable height in the bishopric. With this insight, should anyone be surprised at the dynamism, leadership and dedication that His Grace, Most Reverend (Dr) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, brings to his Episcopalian duty? With 65 years of age on June 1, 2024, he is like the good steward of the “Parables of the Talents” who justified his master’s trust in him.

Bishop Martins received a solid preparation for his apostolic vocation, starting with his family, the cradle of Christian orientation, as he vividly recalls: “The greatest determining influence, I would say, lies in the experience of faith in within the family throughout its growth. My family is built on the fact that we simply need to be a part of the life of the Church. If you are a boy, then you are an altar boy; if you are a girl, you are a chorister; and (there is) the whole atmosphere of coming together in prayers, morning and evening (and) seeing my parents fully engaged in the life of the church was also a contributing factor. All of this has contributed greatly to making me who I am today.

The impact of his Catholic upbringing should not be minimized. Martins attended St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Mission School, ltesi, had his secondary education at St. Theresa Minor Seminary, OkeAre, Ibadan (1971-1976) and registered for his priesthood at SS. Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan (1976-1983). Brilliant and well-read, his erudition is accentuated by his qualifications: Diploma in Religious Studies (University of Ibadan, 1978), License in Theology with first class honors (Pontifical Urban University, Rome, 1983), Master of Philosophy (University of Ibadan, 1988) and an M.A. in Philosophy in 1997 from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

It is the portrait of a hardworking priest. First a deacon at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, under the leadership of His Eminence Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos, he worked as an assistant administrator at the cathedral from October 1983 to August 1984 and later as professor and chaplain at the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Gregory College, Obalende; Priest in charge of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Maroko and chaplain of Holy Child College, Obalende, from September 1984 to September 1986. At Ss. Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, where he was assigned as a graduate assistant in September 1986, he taught courses in the Department of Philosophy for two years before gaining lecturer status after his master's degree.

Subsequently, he served the seminary in various capacities as bursar (1988-1994), registrar (1994-1996) and secretary of the appointments and promotions committee (1994-1996). With such a profile, his appointment by Pope John Paul II, on November 24, 1997, as the first bishop of the new diocese of Abeokuta, was not far-fetched. His 14 years as Bishop of Abeokuta were full of achievements. Most obvious was how he built a young and struggling local Church, made up of just nine parishes and eight incardinated priests, into a vibrant and dynamic Church of 60 priests, including 44 incardinated priests from the diocese. His leadership was characterized by remarkable contributions to the education sector in Ogun State, epitomized by the establishment of the Sacred Heart Catholic College, Abeokuta in 1999 and St. Patrick's Catholic College, Imeko in 2006.

The establishment of St. Bernadette of Lourdes School, Abeokuta, and the relocation of St. Luke's School, Lwoye, took place under his leadership. Bishop Martins was one of the key brokers in the mediation that resulted in the return of the secondary schools to their original owners. Two of these establishments, St. Peter's College, Olomore and the Catholic High School, Ibara, were returned to the Diocese of Abeokuta. His appointment as the new Archbishop of the See of Lagos by Pope Benedict XVI on May 25, 2012 was a natural progression. On August 4, 2012, he was installed as the fourth Archbishop of the Catholic See of Lagos at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos by the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Most. The Reverend Augustine Kasujja, for his part, put himself in the shoes of illustrious predecessors. So far, he has performed his duties brilliantly.

Succeeding Cardinal Anthony Okogie at the Archdiocese of Lagos, he took over 98 parishes and numerous branches spread across seven deaneries of the Archdiocese of Lagos. Since then, he has created 13 new deaneries and 146 new parishes. Currently, the Archdiocese of Lagos has 20 deaneries, 224 parishes and 4 chaplaincies, while expansion is imminent in Eko Atlantic City, Banana Island, Badagry and Ikorodu, where vast hectares of land have been designated for schools and d other future developments. Of the 295 office workers he met in the field, 110 were indigenous priests; so far, His Grace has ordained 73 indigenous priests.

Currently, the archdiocese has over 178 indigenous priests, including 249 religious and 86 Fidei Donum priests working in Lagos. Archbishop Martins was the principal consecrator of Bishop Kayode Odetoyinbo (2014) and Bishop Francis Obafemi Adesina (2019). His Grace also gave a boost to educational development with three new archdiocesan secondary schools in Iju-Ishaga, Ikorodu and Bogije. He completed Augustine University, founded by his predecessor, Cardinal Anthony Okogie. Inaugurated in October 2015 of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for two terms respectively; Co-Chairman of the Nigerian Anglican-Catholic Commission (2001-2008); Episcopal Chairman of the RCCS Committee on Ecumenism (1999-2008); and delegate of the Nigerian Church to the 2nd Special Ordinary Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2009 – he is expected to have a better understanding of whether there was a need to change administrative processes to improve the 'efficiency.

His promulgation of parish pastoral, lay and financial councils galvanized the Church to be more forward-looking and action-oriented. His Grace is known for his outspokenness and that is because the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos knows the importance of adding the voice of the Catholic Church to important national discourses. This is why, in a country of religious pluralism like Nigeria, Archbishop Adewale Martins presents himself as an advocate of multi-faith harmony and the university currently has several departments spread across four faculties, and has graduated its first group of students from October 17. 2019. The Major Seminary of Saint Albert the Great has begun its session over the years while the Technical Institute of Saint Joseph the Worker is in progress.

In addition, more than 12 priests continued their studies in America, Rome, Spain and France. Others also studied at the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Calabar and the University of Lagos, while a timetable has been drawn up for the rest to continue their studies in the coming years. Having served in various capacities, including as Deputy Secretary (2002-2008) and later Secretary (2008-2012), a religious leader who offers solutions to social problems. The Chief Pastor of the Archdiocese of Lagos has tried to live by his motto “Called to serve with love”.

This is reflected in the establishment of Caritas Lagos in 2013 to assist dioceses, mission territories, congregations, institutions, parishes and individuals in need in Nigeria and abroad. The Caritas Lagos Fund has been of great assistance to the populations and dioceses of the remote areas of the North, especially to victims of insurgency and floods, some of whom are living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri and Yola. At 65, he proved himself to be a devoted priest in the Lord's vineyard, endowed with exceptional humility and human virtues. As he looks ahead to more years on earth, all indications are that His Grace will not relax His grip on the plow.