Former Governor of Anambra State,
Mr. Peter Obi, has called on all segments of the society, especially the
Church, to see the advent of the New Media as another channel through which
humanity would be enriched. Obi was speaking at the ongoing 28th CIWA Theology
Week organised by the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt.
Speaking on the theme of the event
entitled “Theology, Catechesis and the New Media in Africa Today”, Obi called
on the Church to become more alive to her responsibilities as the conscience of
the nation. This, he said, the Church should do by being in the forefront of
speaking out through the instrumentality of the New Media in condemnation of
the ills of the society and those that perpetuate them. Obi frowned at “the
practice of allowing those that obviously stole from the society from taking
everybody in vain through thanksgiving and other unnecessary celebrations.”
The former governor noted that the
media has always played an important role in civilisation and the
evangelisation of peoples across the world. He said that the role has not
changed but is only adapted according to developments in communications that is
now driven by advancement in information and communication technology (ICT).
Obi said that by its very nature, the New Media has made the world a global
village, adding that the responsibility of those using this new means of mass
communication is to make sure that it is exploited towards achieving what would
be of benefit to humanity.
In his own paper, the Catholic
Archbishop of Benin, Most Rev. Augustine Akabueze, said that the Church was
always abreast with developments on communications and had been at the
forefront of leading the faithful through the right paths such as through Papal
pronouncements, Encyclicals and synodal releases.
Many personalities, including four
bishops, monsignors, priests, and academics such as Prof. Pat Utomi, among many
other lay faithful, attended the opening ceremony at the premises of the
Catholic Institute of West Africa.
The coordinator of the Theology
Week, Rev. Fr. Dr. Cosmas Ebebe, thanked all those that honoured the
invitation. He said the students collectively yearned to listen to Mr. Peter
Obi and were glad that he did not disappoint them.
Tags
Society