BY etop ekanem
THE Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, has urged media practitioners to be careful with the messages they send out to avoid misuse of such information.

This came as Catholic Pontiff, Pope Benedict VI warned that new communications technologies must be placed at the service of the integral good of the individual and of the whole of humanity.

They both spoke during the celebration of the 45th World Communications Day with the theme: Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age, in Lagos, yesterday.

According to Okogie, “the media has become very elaborate. It has many different uses.”

Here in Nigeria, we have to be very careful about the message we send out. There are many things that can be caught from satellite, and unless we use these things well, am afraid we will be like other nations.

“We can even see the way some of our pastors and emergency  preachers are now using the media for their own purpose. They are not using it to spread the gospel but for their selfish interest. They should not be individualistic about it, but think about the use of others. What is good for Nigeria should be good for the world and vice versa.

In his message which was read by Sir Steve Omojafor during the Mass at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, Pope Benedict VI  said if the new communications technologies are used wisely, “they can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound aspirations of each human being.”

He advised Christians to confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible.