St. Cosmas Catholic Church, Benja

St. Cosmas Catholic Church, Benja, is a parish of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, within the Our Lady Queen of Apostles Deanery, Iyana-Iyesi, Ota. The parish traces its roots to the vision of the late Monsignor Christopher Ajala and the dedication of the clergy and faithful of Our Lady Queen of Apostles (OLQA) Catholic Church, Iyana-Iyesi, whose commitment laid the foundation for a vibrant Catholic community in Benja.

The journey began in 2007 when Monsignor Ajala approved the construction of a church before a mission house. This vision led to the acquisition of four plots of land in 2010. Under the leadership of Very Rev. Fr. Michael Akintolu, the project was restructured, with OLQA becoming the mother parish and St. Cosmas established as one of its outstations.

On 21 April 2014, during the Galilee Day celebration, St. Cosmas was officially announced as an outstation. The church was named in honour of the late Rev. Fr. Cosmas Famoroti, whose contributions to securing the land were invaluable. The first Mass on the church grounds was celebrated on 12 October 2014, while regular Sunday Masses commenced on 30 November 2014.

With the arrival of Rev. Fr. Michael Adenigba as Parish Priest of OLQA, a development committee led by Mr. John Okafor coordinated the growth of the new station. In 2016, the addition of Rev. Fr. Richard Alaba Fadogba enabled the introduction of weekday Masses, while further land was acquired through the support of His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta.

Through the dedication of its clergy and parishioners, St. Cosmas experienced rapid growth in worshippers, ministries, and parish organisations. On 20 August 2016, the church was officially elevated to parish status by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo, making Rev. Fr. Lucas Muyiwa Ayodele its first Parish Priest.

As part of its continued development, the foundation for the permanent church building was laid on 19 September 2017. Following the completion of Rev. Fr. Lucas Muyiwa Ayodele's pastoral assignment, Rev. Fr. Christopher Adesanya assumed office as Parish Priest on 13 January 2023. Later that year, on 1 July 2023, the foundation of the parish mission house was laid by the Bishop through Very Rev. Fr. Clement Ashade.

From a humble beginning as an outstation, St. Cosmas Catholic Church, Benja has grown into a flourishing parish with a strong commitment to worship, evangelisation, service, and community life. Guided by its enduring slogan, "St. Cosmas Parish! Christ's Love Binds Us Together," the parish continues its mission of building a united community of faith for the glory of God.