Fr Echefu bids emotional farewell to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-Owa - ITREALMS

It was a poignant atmosphere of emotional reflection, thanksgiving, and celebration at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-Owa, Ikorodu, Lagos, on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as Rev. Fr. Augustine Echefu celebrated his final parish Mass and delivered a heartfelt farewell address, reports ITREALMS.

Affectionately nicknamed “Eweleke” by his congregants, the youthful and dynamic priest concluded a transformative four-year tenure of spiritual renewal, infrastructural development, and community reconciliation.

He has been officially reassigned to St. Christopher Catholic Church, Oke-Odo, within the Agege Deanery of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

Reflecting on his journey as a first-time Priest-in-Charge, Fr. Echefu expressed profound gratitude to the parishioners for their unwavering support and cooperation. In a spirit of pastoral humility, he offered an unreserved apology to any members he might have inadvertently offended while executing his duties impartially, noting that his formative years at Ewu-Owa had deeply enriched his personal and priestly ministry.

Fr. Echefu assumed leadership at Holy Trinity during a critical period, following a contentious leadership transition that arose from local grievances, including the prohibition of vernacular hymns.

Upon taking charge, he initiated bold, inclusive administrative and pastoral strategies that successfully healed community fractures, restored spiritual vitality, and fostered harmonious communal engagement.


His tenure is widely credited with establishing an environment of unity, mutual respect, and active participation across all sodalities and demographic groups within the parish.

The emotional farewell coincided with the parish’s annual Harvest and Bazaar Thanksgiving, dedicated to raising vital funds for the roofing of the expansive new church building erected during his tenure.

Under his dynamic stewardship, Holy Trinity witnessed unprecedented physical developments that permanently upgraded the parish's operational capacity. Major legacy projects completed include a fully completed modern priest’s residence, durable standard church pews, a serene Marian grotto for devotion, a 30kVA soundproof generator alongside a 15kVA solar power system for uninterrupted energy, modern sanitary facilities, an elevated altar with a new tabernacle, and a state-of-the-art public address system.

These structural milestones complement the deep spiritual legacy left behind by his administration, providing the parish with robust foundations for future growth.

In his closing exhortation, Fr. Echefu urged the congregation to extend the same warmth, cooperation, and loyalty to his successor, Rev. Fr. Alfred Omoleye, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained parish development.

As the community bids farewell to a beloved shepherd, the parishioners of Holy Trinity, Ewu-Owa, celebrate not an ending, but a defining chapter of resilience, reconciliation, and enduring progress.


Chidi Abajue/Editor