By Ade Iyamoye
In a call to media practitioners, the Catholic Church has urged journalists to disarm aggressive storytelling and embrace peaceful, responsible reporting that fosters unity and understanding in the society.
Addressing a gathering of media professionals during the 2025 Communications Week Public Lecture and posthumous award ceremony for a media icon, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the Church leaders highlighted the profound influence of journalism in shaping public opinion and societal harmony.
“The press holds immense power to either divide or unite,” the spokesperson said, adding that “It is imperative that we choose to tell stories that build bridges rather than walls.”
The Church condemned the rise of sensationalism and hostile narratives that often exacerbate social tensions and deepen divisions.
Instead, it encouraged journalists to adopt a gentler, more compassionate approach that respects the dignity of all people and promotes peace.
“Disarming aggressive storytelling does not mean weakening the truth,” the spokesperson clarified. “It means delivering facts with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to the common good.”
This appeal aligns with the Church’s enduring mission to promote justice, peace, and reconciliation.
It calls on media professionals to be messengers of hope and agents of positive transformation in a world often fraught with conflict.
As society faces increasing challenges from misinformation and polarizing content, the Catholic Church stands as a steadfast advocate for a press that heals, inspires, and uplifts.
According to Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa, in his keynote address, said true communication should build bridges, not burn them.
“We must rediscover the value of gentleness-marked by compassion, humility, and respectful dialogue – as a strategic response to a distressed and divided nation,” he said.
Bishop Musa challenged Nigerian journalists to become narrators of hope. “It is time to produce content that uplifts rather than tears down. There is power in gentle words to break even the hardest resistance.”
On his part, the Episcopal Chairman for Social Communications, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Bishop David Ajang, paying tribute to late High Chief Dokpesi, welcomed his family, friends, and associates, acknowledging his contributions to Nigeria’s broadcast landscape and his role as a pioneering force in independent media.
Dokpesi, founder of Daar Communications, was posthumously honoured for his legacy in expanding media access and shaping public discourse.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary General of CSN, Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, described the media as a powerful force capable of building or destroying society.
He warned against growing media aggression and sensationalism that undermine the common good.
Banjo decried how many media narratives in Nigeria have devolved into hostile, toxic spaces where political debates, religious commentary, and even social media exchanges are laced with attacks, ethnic profiling, and hate speech.
He described the late Chief Raymond Dokpesi as a model communicator who defied this trend.
“His pioneering work through DAAR Communications promoted African and Christian values, never compromised by media sensationalism or market pressures,” Banjo said, while calling for a minute of silence in Dokpesi’s honour.
Adding his voice, the Special Guest of Honour, Dr Henry Nzekwu urged Nigerian media practitioners to adopt peace journalism by sharing hope with gentleness despite the nation’s ongoing crises.
Speaking on the theme “Media with Gentleness: A Path to Being Narrators of Hope in a Distressed Nation,” Dr. Nzekwu reflected on Nigeria’s pervasive insecurity, social unrest, and political challenges, urging journalists to balance truth-telling with responsible, hopeful storytelling.
Also speaking, Musikulu Mojeed, Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, emphasized the vital role of empathy in media coverage of vulnerable groups.
Mojeed urged journalists to adopt “gentleness” in storytelling-balancing truth with dignity.
He stressed that empathetic reporting humanizes marginalized communities, shifting narratives from mere victimhood to resilience and hope.
Mojeed then called the media to engage with, not just report on, vulnerable populations to foster inclusion, healing, and social change in Nigeria’s complex security and socio-economic landscape.
