SECAM: Bishop Badejo Advocates Partnerships, Media Trainings to Strengthen Church Communication
By Magdalene Kahiu
At the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the outgoing President of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) has called for the training of communicators and media partnerships to strengthen Church communication on the continent.
Speaking on August 2 in Kigali, Rwanda, Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo Diocese, Nigeria, noted that while CEPACS has made great strides in the last three years, more remains to be done.
There is a need for “stronger collaboration with the Catholic Media Professional Associations like SIGNIS, UCAP, Citizen Journalists, etc., to widen the scope of implementation of the Church teachings and policies in communication,” Bishop Badejo said.
The Bishop suggested reinforcing the existing partnership between CEPACS and the APO GROUP for better policies, strategies, and implementation.
He also called for collaboration with other institutions to have exchange programmes and to share knowledge on developments in the communications field.
The Nigerian Prelate underscored the urgent need to train clergy and other Church communicators in digital communication and Artificial Intelligence, emphasizing that these skills are essential for informed pastoral practice and action at all levels.
Further, the Prelate also pointed out the need to include the Portuguese language in SECAM communication and activities.
In line with this vision, Bishop Badejo called for the support of the upcoming Catholic Union of the Press in Africa (UCAP) from August 10 to 17. The conference, organized under the theme “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” will take place in Accra, Ghana.
Bishop Badejo also urged support for the SIGNIS World Conference scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2026.
In his presentation delivered at the Assembly themed “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation, and Peace,” the Bishop emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration, saying, “Africans, especially Christians, still crave the Gospel and its values and still cherish the authentic voice of the Church in their lives.”
