SECAM: CEPACS Logo at 50, Depicts Unity in Diversity for the African Church
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The logo for the upcoming golden jubilee for the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) slated for 18-21, November this year in Lagos, Nigeria, has been designed to portray an aspect of unity in diversity in the African Church, cleric has said.
Fr. Dieu Donne Kofi the Communication Coordinator for the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) said in an interview with AMECEA Online that the golden jubilee logo “speaks directly to Africa as a church that appreciates unity in diversity.”
“The Church of Africa is one family of God and must always live as such. We only become better at what we do if we bring all on board and are tolerant of one another,” the Ghanaian cleric said expounding that the logo is a combination of faith and culture with an encouragement to the people in Africa to always be positive life.
The CEPACS logo co-designed by Ms. Bethlehem Tadese of Ethiopia and Mr. Samuel Kwesi Akunor of Ghana has various components as the designers apply the Sankofa concept together with the Adinkra symbols to make meaning to the African continent.
The African concept of Sankofa which is a Ghanaian symbol Fr. Kofi explained, “Is one of a mythical bird turning its head backward to eat a precious egg. The Sankofa is an Akan language of Ghana that literally means ‘to return and get it’ or ‘go back and get it’.”
The use of the Sankofa concept “Implies going back to our roots or our past to retrieve things of value based on knowledge of the past in order to make positive progress in the future.” As CEPACS it is, therefore, a time to look back on the intention of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and revive ways to promote the use of modern means of mass communications as tools for evangelization in the continent.
The adinkra symbols used in the logo “are African (Ghanaian) communication elements employed to add some beauty and promote African innovation and excellence,” Fr. Kofi narrated.
Besides the Sankofa and the Adinkra symbols, the cleric explained some of the icons in the CEPACS Golden Jubilee logo including the cross, the map of Africa, a heart, rays of light, a microphone, and the number 50 saying, “The Cross represents the Catholic Church and the Christian faith in general. The map of Africa stands for the Church in Africa under the umbrella of SECAM while the heart and the rays represent the theme of the Message of Pope Francis for the 57th World Day of Social Communications: Speaking with the Heart and the sub-theme that urges all to speak with the heart in the Synodal process.”
“The microphone on the other hand represents the communications office and apostolate while the number 50 represents the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of CEPACS,” he expounded and emphasized that the logo design was inspired by the synodal journey of walking together which the universal Church is currently promoting.
Additionally, he said the logo was also designed “to project the role of communications in the work of evangelization, especially in Africa, and being a Jubilee of significance, it is believed that symbolism is key and forms part of non-verbal communications.”
The logo has been decorated with various colors which the cleric said was adopted from the 16th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops as bright colors which signify joy and inclusivity.
Fr. Kofi further said that the logo as a non-verbal way of communication, should encourage the people of God in Africa to “allow love at the heart of whatever we do as we aspire to be the light of the world.”
This should be done bearing in mind that the Christian way of life is not an easy one but involves carrying daily crosses as a symbol of victory over the enemy.
