Security Challenges Not an Excuse for Not Witnessing to Christ: Archbishop in Nigeria

Catholic News Service of Nigeria || 12 August 2015

Catholics in Nigeria, especially media practitioners, have been called upon not to allow the present state of insecurity in the northern part of the country to prevent them from witnessing to Christ in the area.  The call was made by the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna , Most Rev. Mathew Ndagoso in his homily at the opening Mass for this year’s Regional Conference of Catholic Media Practitioners of Nigeria  of the North, (CAMPAN);  held recently, at the Catholic Social Centre, Kaduna.

While expressing dismay at the activities of the Boko Haram  Islamic terrorist group in the Northern part of the country, particularly, the North east, Archbishop Ndagoso noted that Catholics and other Christians in the areas have remained undeterred and steadfast in their faith.

Noting that the Boko Haram bombblasts saga has lost steam with the people now accepting it as “one of those things,” and going about their businesses; the Archbishop stated that threat to  security of life and property  in the country is not limited to the North; adding: “In fact, no place is safe in Nigeria”. While acknowledging the menace of the Boko haram in the northern part of the country, Archbishop Ndagoso remarked that the safety in the south is threatened by armed robbers and kidnappers who are really on rampage.

The Archbishop therefore called on Catholic faithful in the southern part of the country not to shun evangelization activities or religious programmes in the North, stressing that witnessing to Christ is a cross which all Christians must endeavour to carry. He expressed the hope that the Boko Haram insurgency will soon be part of the country’s history and peace would returned to all the affected areas.

Emphasizing the importance of communication in the evangelization mission of the Church, Archbishop Ndagoso remarked that all aspects of Church life and mission centre on communication, including “preaching the Gospel in and out of season”.

He stated further that the media is not only a means of communication but also an instrument of evangelization and means of spreading a new culture.

The programme which was attended by over 40 delegates from the Archdioceses and dioceses in the region had Media Evangelization and the Nigerian Society as its them, and presentations were made on: The Concept of Change and The Role of Media Practitioners/Professionals; and The Role of the Church and Media as Agenda Pace Setters.