 He wrote in a letter to Rev.Father Planque, superior-general of the African missions of Lyons, “it is impossible to describe the joy of my Christians.” He claimed that it was at the Corpus Christi procession that night that “Christ the Saviour went out from the walls of our modest church, for the first time, to show Himself to His people ; and...each one seemed to understand that something grand and majestic was passing, and, without being able to explain the reason, felt awed.”

Upon his arrival in Abeokuta in 1890, Coquard was put in charge of medical work at the mission dispensary under the guidance of Fr.Justin François.