Faith, Love and Hope are the basic tenets of humanity. Faith in God, Love for God and humanity, and giving Hope to the people who have lost hope. Without love and faith, one cannot give hope to the people. One of the institutions that give hope to the people is the hospital, where lives are being preserved and nurtured.

In view of the above came the establishment of Our Lady of Apostles Catholic Hospital (OLA), Oluyoro, Oke-Ofa, Ibadan which celebrated her Thanksgiving Mass to flag off the 70 years of giving hope to the people in Ibadan Archdiocese and beyond, since its inception 69 years ago, (Monday, March 12, 1956).

Very Rev. Fr. Gregory Oyelami, the Vicar General of Ibadan Archdiocese was there to represent His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel ’Leke Abegunrin, who was unavoidably absent as he was at the meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) holding at Abuja.

In his homily, the Vicar General extolled the good works of the OLA Sisters and the SMA Fathers in the founding of so many institutions in Ibadan Archdiocese. Their impacts are written on the stones of history of the Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan. The history of Ibadan Archdiocese can never be complete without giving them well deserved credits for their groundbreaking efforts in planting the Churches, Hospitals, Vocation Centers and Schools. They brought the light of Christ into our world, despite the fact that they did not understand our culture and language, yet they came to give us the faith we have today through their love for God and humanity; and they constantly gave hope to the people whose hope have been lost.

For the past seven decades, OLA Hospital has been giving hope to the people. It is a center for life as it protects and saves life. Many babies have been brought to life in this hospital since its inception; many surgeries to save lives; many accidents and emergency cases have been attended to; and many hopeless people have returned home with their hope restored. OLA is a pro-life center, not anti-life through abortion as many secular hospitals do. OLA is a home of hospitality and evangelization.

The Vicar General, on behalf of the Archbishop, then thanked the OLA Sisters, the Board of Management, and members of Staff for their contributions to the growth and development of the hospital, as this is a work of evangelization in Ibadan Archdiocese. He then prayed that God rest the souls of the departed OLA sisters and members of Staff who worked selflessly and tirelessly in eternal peace.

In her remark, Rev. Sister Winifred Diagboya, OLA, the Administrator of the Hospital said that the dream of founding this hospital must have begun with a person, whose name we might not know now but we are all reaping the fruits of that person’s dream. She then prayed that whoever that person is, may God rest her soul in peaceful eternity.

In his remark, Prof A.A. Adeolu, the Chairman of the Board of Management thanked the Sisters and the members of Staff for their cooperation to make the hospital grow. He said that since after COVID-19, the Hospital Management has been able to increase the salaries of the staff about three times and the payment of salaries never failed without having to borrow from anywhere to pay. This is a success on its own. He said the hospital, Oluyoro (as it is popularly called) is meant to bridge the gaps where the government hospitals like UCH failed. He referenced the issues of power failure that happened in the past few months in UCH.

Rev. Sister Zita Adigwe OLA, the Provincial Bursar, representing the Provincial Head, Rev. Sister Josephine Enemo OLA who was unavoidably absent, put a challenge to the constituted committee for the celebration. She said as we are celebrating the Jubilee of Hope, we should give hope to different categories of people such as the first set of people born in the hospital who are almost septuagenarians now; the children born on March 12 of every year and the child that might be born on March 12, 2026 when the Hospital will clock 70 years actually.

Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Odediran, The Health Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Ibadan; and a priest who was also born in the hospital some decades ago said that the hospital is blessed to have brought to life, many important personalities in the country. He said that the number one citizen of Oyo State, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde was also delivered as a baby in Oluyoro hospital. He also said the OLA hospital is everyone who is actively contributing to the growth of the hospital. “OLA is you and I”, he said.

Rev. Sister Vivien Dore OLA, the Matron of the hospital expressed a profound gratitude to the Archbishop in absential, and the priests present at the Thanksgiving Mass. These include: Very Rev. Msgr J.K. Idowu, who was the Chief Celebrant at the occasion; Very Rev. Msgr T.O.A. Fadeyi, the Parish Priest of St. Cyprian, Oke Offa and the Chaplain of the Hospital; Rev. Fr. Daniel Izebuno, the Parish Priest of St. Mary, Egbeda; Rev. Fr. Valere Mupidi SMA, a representative of the SMA Fathers and Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Odediran, the Health Coordinator of Ibadan Archdiocese.

As the Chaplain of the hospital, Very Rev. Msgr. T.O.A Fadeyi said that the OLA Hospital that we are celebrating today is like we are celebrating life. The hospital brings people to life, and brings life to the people – it nurtures lives, and gives people means of livelihood for the past seven decades. He said his mother was also a beneficiary of the magnanimity of the hospital as a cook. We have to thank God for the gift of life for being part of this celebration.

The committee that will plan the celebration for the next one year was inaugurated and the banner of the celebration was unveiled.