Religion
THE Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Revd. Alfred Adewale Martins has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a Member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, becoming the first Nigerian bishop to serve in the influential body.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect from June 30, was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the Archbishop of Lagos, Rev. Fr. Paul Ariole.
According to the statement, the appointment recognises Archbishop Martins’ 27 years of distinguished episcopal ministry and his contributions to the growth of the Catholic Church in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The Dicastery for Evangelization, restructured under Pope Francis through the 2022 Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, is responsible for promoting evangelisation in historically Christian societies and supporting the development of mission Churches, particularly in the Global South.
The statement said Archbishop Martins’ extensive pastoral and administrative experience positioned him to contribute significantly to the dicastery’s work in shaping the Church’s global missionary activities.
Born on June 1, 1959, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Archbishop Martins was ordained a priest on Sept. 18, 1983, by Anthony Okogie at Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos.
He graduated with First Class Honours in Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, and also earned postgraduate degrees in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan and the University of St Andrews, Scotland.
He was appointed the first Bishop of the Diocese of Abeokuta in 1997 by Pope John Paul II, where he spent 14 years building the young diocese before his appointment as Archbishop of Lagos by Pope Benedict XVI in May 2012.
Since assuming leadership of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lagos, Archbishop Martins has ordained 84 priests, expanded the archdiocese from seven to 20 deaneries and dedicated more than 50 churches and parishes.
He currently shepherds about 3.5 million Catholics within the archdiocese, which serves an estimated population of 20 million people across Lagos State.
The archdiocese comprises more than 230 parishes, over 200 outstations, about 100 Mass centres and is served by approximately 600 priests alongside hundreds of religious brothers and sisters.
The statement added that under Archbishop Martins’ leadership, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, attained full degree-awarding status, while the St. John Mary Vianney Home for Priests and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre were established to strengthen the Church’s pastoral mission.
Nationally, Archbishop Martins has served as Secretary-General and currently Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
He also chairs the Governing Council of the Catholic Institute of West Africa and has held several leadership positions within the Church, including Chairman of the Board of the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria from 2022 to 2025.
According to the statement, Archbishop Martins will continue to serve as Archbishop of Lagos while participating in the assemblies, consultations and decision-making processes of the Vatican dicastery in Rome as required.
It described the appointment as a milestone for the Catholic Church in Nigeria and West Africa, noting that it reflects the growing contribution of the African Church to the global mission of evangelisation.
F.O
Tags: Archbishop Adewale Martins Pope Leo XIV Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization