REV. MONSIGNOR
BERNARD AYODELE OKODUA
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Rev. Mons. Bernard Ayodele Okodua was born on Wednesday, October 20, 1943, in Afuda-Uwessan, Irrua, in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, to late Pa Rufus Okojabhole Okodua and late Madam Veronica Ugboriri Okodua.  He is the second of the eleven children and the first male child of the family.

Pa Rufus Okodua, an ardent Catholic, a Teacher, a Carpenter, and a Catechist under the early missionaries, came to Ijebu-Ode (in Ogun State) in the early 40s and worked with priests such as Rev. Fathers Saul, Thomas Galvin, young Pedro Martins, Anthony Sanusi, James Young, Julius Sadiku, etc.  As a Catechist, he was posted at different times to different parts of Ijebuland, including Ijebu-Igbo in 1950 where young Bernard started his elementary education at Holy Angels Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo.  In the following year, Pa Okodua was transferred back to Ijebu-Ode where Bernard continued his primary education at St. Augustine’s Catholic School, Odo-Egbo.  Pa Okodua later secured a job as a Prison Warder, and was transferred to Abeokuta in 1957, where Bernard completed his primary education that year at St. Leo’s Practice School (now Our Lady of Lourdes), Onikoko, Abeokuta.

The closeness of the family to the Church, and his fascination with the priestly life of those missionaries, especially the beautiful Latin Liturgical chants, prompted Bernard to respond affirmatively to a casual question put to him by his parish priest, late Rev. Fr. Jeremiah Coakley (SMA), “would you like to be a priest?”, even though he never really thought he would be taken seriously.  To his greatest surprise, however, Rev. Fr. Jerry Coakley brought the necessary admission forms and prospectus to him, in preparation for entering the seminary!  He eventually proceeded to St. Theresa Minor Seminary, Oke-Are, Ibadan, where he had his secondary education from 1959-1964.  Having laid a solid foundation for the life he had chosen, he proceeded to Ss. Peter & Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, in 1965 for his priestly training which he completed in 1971.

He was ordained a Sub-Deacon in December 1970 at Ss Peter & Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, and a Deacon in April 1971 at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church, Mokola, Ibadan.  Mons. Bernard Ayodele Okodua was ordained a Priest on Sunday, December 26, 1971, at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church (now Cathedral), Adatan, Abeokuta in Ogun State, by late Archbishop John Kwao Amuzu Aggey.  Mons. Bernard Okodua was the first Catholic priest ever to be ordained in Abeokuta, and he was the last to be ordained by Archbishop Aggey.

Pastoral Assignments
After his ordination, Mons. Okodua was posted to St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ajilete, as Associate Priest to the late Rev. Fr. John Hannon (SMA), and later as Parish Priest.  Between 1972 and 1974, Monsignor also worked in Ado-Odo and environs.  In 1974, he left for Canada on a short course at the Coady International Institute in St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia, where he obtained a Diploma in Social Leadership.

When he returned from Canada, Mons. Okodua was posted to St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Lafiaji, Lagos, where he worked from 1975-1976, first as Associate Priest to late Rev. Fr. John Kilbey (SMA), and later as the Parish Priest.  After about a year at Lafiaji, Monsignor was posted to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Idumagbo, as Parish Priest from 1976-1981.  He left Idumagbo in 1981 for further studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.  He came back in 1985 after obtaining a Licentiate and a Doctorate degree in Pastoral Theology.

On his return from Rome, he was immediately posted to Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Adatan, Abeokuta, as Parish Priest, where he was until 1988 when he was recalled to Lagos and appointed the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Nigeria, with an office at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa Square, and residence at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Idumagbo.  He held this appointment for eleven years (1988-1999).  Even as the National Director of PMS, he was posted to Holy Cross Cathedral as the Administrator in 1996.  He held these two positions till 1999 when he was transferred to Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin, as Parish Priest from 1999-2002.  While at Regina Mundi, he supervised the construction of the ultra-modern Regina Mundi Maternity.

This momentum has been sustained by his successor, Rev. Fr. Anthony Obadina, CMF, by establishing three more Mass Centres, namely:  Church of Visitation on First Avenue, Church of Presentation on 23rd Road, and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Eleventh Avenue (by Second Avenue).

With the creation of three Episcopal Vicariates in Lagos Archdiocese by His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, in 2005, Mons. Okodua was appointed the Episcopal Vicar for Lagos Region, comprising of Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island and Lekki Deaneries.  As a result of this new appointment, he was transferred from Festac to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gbaja, Surulere, in 2006, where he is till date.

Mons. Okodua became the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State Chapter, in 2003, having first served as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee appointed in 2000 to stabilize the Association hitherto engulfed in internal leadership squabble.  His ability to effectively manage people and situations has brought about the relative peace and stability that the Association enjoys today and the overwhelming support he enjoys within the Association.  This was evident and aptly demonstrated by members in 2007 when, at the end of his tenure, he was unanimously re-elected as the Chairman of CAN Lagos State Chapter, even though he did not present himself as a candidate.  Under his leadership, the cordiality between the Church and the State has grown stronger and stronger.  When the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) was established by the Government of Lagos State in 2006, to promote mutual respect, mutual understanding, religious harmony and peaceful co-existence among Christians and Muslims in the State, Mons. Okodua was appointed by the Governor to be the Co-Chairman of the Council, representing the Christians, a position he occupies till date.

Mons. Okodua can aptly be described as a true Priest of the Catholic Faith.  He is an ardent promoter of the Catholic doctrine and worship, and a priest full of wisdom.  Some fondly call him “our Baba”, some “our spiritual Daddy”.  But what really stand him out are his humility and kindness, and his ability to listen to people, no matter who it may be.  No one encounters Mons. Okodua and goes away empty-handed.  He listens to all and sundry with absolute patience, no matter how much one has to say.  He is always there as long as time permits.  He is truly a “Man of God”!!

Appointments
Very Rev. Mons. Bernard Ayodele Okodua has held a number of positions in the Archdiocese and in Lagos State:

▪  Assistant Social Welfare Coordinator: 1976-1980
▪  Manager, Holy Cross Group of Schools, 1976-1980
▪  Director of Vocations, Lagos Archdiocese, 1976-1981
▪  National Director, Pontifical Mission Societies(PMS),    1988-1999
▪  Investiture as MONSIGNOR: 17th February, 1990
▪ Member, Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Lagos State, 1993 and 1998
▪ Vicar-General, Lagos Archdiocese
- April 1995-till date
▪ Lagos Archdiocesan Director, PMS
- 1995-till date
▪ Chairman, CAN, Lagos State
- 2003-till date
▪ Episcopal Vicar, Lagos Region
- 2005-till date
▪ Co-Chairman, NIREC, Lagos State
- 2006-till date.

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To God Be The Glory