ComWEEK lecture : CSN Convokes public Lecture to address multiple wounds of our nation

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) through the Directorate of the Social Communications has organize the 2nd annual public Lecture for media and other stakeholders to address various issues affecting effective information dissemination that will promote peace, responsiveness and credibility in our Nation.

In his opening address the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) President Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji represented by the Episcopal Chairman for Social Communications CBCN, Bishop David Ajang say the programme will contribute to the renewal of the media landscape.
Bishop Ajàng stated this during the CSN 2nd annual lecture media stakeholders held yesterday in Abuja.

“The context of the Communication Week is the celebration of World Communication Day. which has been celebrated since 1967 by Pope Paul VI; this year marks the 58th edition.

We, the Catholic Bishops in Nigeria, took a step further, four years ago, by expanding the one-day programme into a week-long national media literacy campaign celebrated in all our dioceses, parishes and institutions. We are proud to observe that this initiative, today known as the Communications Week (Comweek), has recorded very significant growth in such a short time. It is worth noting that Com WEEK has received recognition and acceptance from the Vatican and among some Conferences of Bishops in Africa. On behalf of the CBCN, I therefore extend our gratitude to our National Communications Director, Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, for midwifing the birth of ComWEEK, and to his team of Provincial Coordinators of Social Communications, and also to members of the Nigeria Catholic Social Communications Commission (NCSCC) for all their good works.

The idea of the ComWEEK followed by the public lecture was informed by Pope Paul VI’s message for the 12th World Communications Day titled: Rights and Duties of the Receivers. In that document, the Holy Father extolled the important role of media in the family and advocated that media training should be provided to aid pastoral work and social development. He stated, “If it is true that the future of the human family depends largely on its manner of using the communications media, then it is necessary that training of ‘recipients’ should be regarded as a priority both in the sphere of pastoral ministry and in educational work generally.”

Therefore, through this annual lecture, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) not only responds to that clarion call, but also aspires to provide a platform for experts to discuss media-related issues that concern the Church and her mission, as well as the well-being of the human person and the advancement of broader society. This Public Lecture serves as a forum for exchanging ideas and amplifying the Church’s voice on matters that affect humanity and society.

For this year, 2025, the Church in Nigeria, inspired by Pope Francis’ message for World Communications Day (WCD), convokes this gathering to shed light on one of the multiple wounds of our nation the challenge of media polarisation, digital disinformation, and cyberbullying. Therefore, we are here to discuss a theme that is both timely and essential: Media with Gentleness: A Path to Being Narrators of Hope in a Distressed Nation.

We pray this programme will contribute to the renewal of our media landscape and inspire a more gentle, hopeful, and constructive approach to communication, for the betterment of our nation and the glory of God.

The Keynote Speaker which is the Bishop of Katsina Diocese, Bishop Gerald Musa said his address is very much like an appetiser used to set the stage for the main course. I therefore hope this address will set the context and whet your appetite for the highly inspiring papers by our esteemed resource persons here present and the rich discussions to follow.The message of World Communication Day for the year 2025 reminds us about the relationship between media and gentleness. The media refers to the various channels and tools used to communicate, transmit, and disseminate information, ideas, and messages to a wide audience. This includes traditional forms such as newspapers, radio, and television, as well as digital platforms like social media, websites, and streaming services. Gentleness can be defined as a quality marked by the absence of harshness, severity, or aggression. It reflects a tender, delicate, and honourable disposition, characterised by kindness, warmth, and a pleasant, friendly manner. An Ethiopian (Amharic) proverb expresses the power of gentle communication
The thoughtful speech.There is a famous Aesop fable about the quarrel between the Wind and the Sun over who was stronger. To settle it, they decided to test their strength on a passing traveller. The challenge was this: Who could make the man remove his cloak? The Wind went first. It blew hard, huffed, and roared, trying to tear the cloak from the man’s back. But the more the Wind blew, the tighter the man held his cloak. Then the Sun took its turn. It said nothing, but shone gently and warmly on the traveller. Soon, the man grew warm, loosened his grip on the cloak, and finally took it off. The story shows how Gentle persuasion is stronger than force. In this myth, the Wind represents aggressive, confrontational communication—loud, forceful, and demanding. The Sun, however, uses gentle influence, which is quiet, consistent warmth.In today’s media world, which often behaves like the Wind (loud, divisive, urgent), this story is a timeless reminder that gentle communication that is calm, respectful, and thoughtful has greater power to change hearts and minds.There is a growing concern about the increasingly harsh tone, aggression, and insensitivity in content production and communication. The media today often dwell on what is sensational and confrontational, and pays less attention to values such as empathy, respect, and understanding. These insensitivities and harshness are evident in news reporting and social media. In the Nigerian context, there are so many media content and narratives that promote ethno-religious divisions. Inflammatory language, verbal attacks, and a lack of civility often mark the tone of public discourse in both mainstream and digital media. Such media practices contribute to increased social mistrust, deepened divisions, and emotional fatigue among audiences. Despite the urgent need for healing, peacebuilding, and constructive dialogue in society, the virtue of gentleness, which is expressed through thoughtful language, respectful engagement, and compassionate storytelling, is increasingly absent. This raises the critical question of how media in Nigeria and beyond can recover and promote a culture of gentleness, fostering communication that is both truthful and humane.In promoting gentleness—often associated with compassion, humility, and nonviolence—in the media, recent scholarship has begun to examine how this virtue is portrayed, encouraged, or undermined across various media platforms and narratives (Ramasubramanian, 2019; Zhao & Gil de Zúñiga, 2022). The following three frameworks provide complementary insights: agenda-setting explains why gentleness is overlooked, virtue ethics calls for its cultivation in the communicator, and peace journalism offers a methodology for its expression..

highlights was the presentation of post humous award to late Chief Raymond Dokpesi. The founder of AIT for the station communication support to the church by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigerià (CBCN)