PROTOCOLS
 
1. Timely, the choice of the Theme of this convention.
          These days Nigerians are talking about economic hardship, ethnic violence, activities of criminals, political instability, security challenges, etc. in Nigeria. Many people wonder if we shall ever again experience time of peace. Most Nigerians talk and talk. They condemn those in the corridors of power. They blame the President and the Governors. They condemn the Senators and the Members of the House. What is clear is that not all of these politicians are involved in creating the problems in Nigeria. There are indeed some clean and honest politicians. These may not have contributed in creating the problems. But what is true is that both the “clean” and the “unclean” members of the government, by seeking and gaining political offices, have undertaken to find solutions. This is the reason why Nigerians criticize them because they fail to solve the problems they promised the people they would handle. What is also true is that many of those criticizing are not innocent. Some of us are actually responsible for the bad situation.
          Nothing changes if we only condemn. We can do something more positive. We can and should find out how we, as individuals or as groups, could contribute to finding solutions. It is here that I thank the organizers of this convention for their thoughtfulness in choosing the theme. You want to talk about what those in your Media Communications profession, your industry, your world can contribute to help our people interpret and make sense out of the senseless and seemingly hopeless situation we find ourselves in this country. As individuals with different talents, as reputable group of experts, working and walking together, we can help to build or rebuild our nation.
 
2. The theme of this second CAMPAN convention is: The Role of the Catholic Media in Nation Building.

• What is “catholic” in the media? Is it because the Media institution is established, perhaps also funded, by the Catholic Church that we talk about the “Catholic media”?
• Or, is it because of the contents of the activities of the Media institution?
• When a Communications Media institution has a Catholic tag, what are the implications?
• How catholic can a public Media institution be?
• Are there laws in Nigeria guiding establishment of religion-based media institutions?

 
3. The “Politics” of the issuance of Radio licence
          Yesterday’s evening table discussion I had with some of the CAMPAN officials was on the issue of control of radio transmission. Some of you have challenges trying to obtain radio licence for their diocesan media houses.

• How is radio licence obtained in Nigeria?
• Who can get radio licence in Nigeria?
• Any hurdles?

          Somebody tried to make me understand that the issuance of radio licence is manipulated to favour some sections of our Nigerian society. Is it true? Why? I invite CAMPAN to wake up and pay attention to the matter.
It is not necessary to have radio station in every Catholic diocese in Nigeria. You could work together to cover every different areas in Nigeria. This could be considered as Ecclesiastical Provincial project. Every director is invited to open the discussion with his or her Bishop.
 
4. Quest for fund: selling of conscience.
          Early this year, I requested the Directors to share with me their diocesan news publications. Very many of you were kind to send me theirs. Since then, many of you have been sending me on a regular basis their diocesan newspaper. Many of you use your newspapers to teach/to spread Catholic values. Just a few, who had challenges on how to sustain financially their news publication resort to using their newspapers as “album of social events”. They are interested in publishing events that will bring them fat cheques. Let the quest for fund not make you sell the soul of journalism, which is objectivity, achieved only when there is true independence. A good journalist must always form and inform. Do not report events ONLY when you are offered monetary incentive.
 
5. Building the nation starting with educating our young
          I was surprised the other day to listen to the opening signature of a Cartoon TV programme for children in Nigeria. It was in Italian language. And that language is not spoken in Nigeria!

• How much of the contents of the children’s programme in Nigeria is really prepared for our Nigerian little ones.

It is here we lay the foundation of nation building.

• Pay attention to the cultural contents of the cartoons you offer to our children.
• Pay attention to the moral contents.
• Pay attention to the religious contents.
• Pay attention to the educational contents.

 
5. Offering of Catholic values to our society: the need to educate ourselves first.
          Many of you will still remember that simple Latin adage: Nemo dat quod non habet. No one gives what one does not have. When we talk about “Catholic Media in the nation building”, we are certainly not referring to the machines used by the journalists and people of the Communications world. We are talking about human beings in the media world. We are referring to you, in our own case, Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria. We are talking about what you, dear friends gathered here, are going to bring through the Media to help in the nation building. We are expecting you to bring out to the public domain the Catholic teaching, the Catholic faith, the Catholic values that will help to transform our country.

• ​What is the Catholic teaching on good governance?
• What is the Catholic teaching on the rule of law?
• What is the Catholic teaching on justice and peace?
• What is the Catholic teaching on economy?
• What is the Catholic teaching on honesty in public life?
• What is the Catholic teaching on free and fair election?
• What is the Catholic teaching on education?

          It expected that Catholics in the Media world should know exactly the teaching of the Church in these areas I have just presented and more, which help in nation building.  You cannot transmit Catholic values unless you know them. Where do you find these? There are many sources. But officially and authentically there is A Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. If you are truly a Catholic Media Practitioner, you must read this collection cover to cover — several times!
          I have already asked Fr Chris Anyanwu, the CSN Director of Social Communications to plan for a seminar in which we study closely the Catholic Teaching on these important ingredients for nation building.
 
Email: entirelyforgod@gmail.com
Pastoral Website: www.totusdei.net