RECOWA General Assembly: CSN briefs the Media
By Rachel Kogi, CSN Media
Ahead of the forthcoming General Assembly of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA), the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) today, Wednesday March 6, 2022 held a press briefing to intimate media personnel on the event. The briefing was presided over by the President of RECOWA and Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, represented by the Secretary General of CSN, Very Rev. Fr. Zacharia Nyantiso Samjumi.
In a welcome address, the National Director of Social Communications, CSN, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, welcomed the gentlemen of the press to CSN, informing them that the press briefing became necessary in order to inform them of the important event to be hosted by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). He urged the media houses to support the Bishops by giving the event all the publicity it deserves.
Addressing the media personnel, drawn from both secular and religious media houses, Fr. Samjumi stated that the Catholic Bishops in Nigeria will be hosting about 150 of their counterparts from the entire West African region under the aegis of RECOWA, in Abuja from Monday, May 2, to Monday, May 9, 2022. He explained that RECOWA was established with the primary aim of enhancing the Church’s mission in West Africa; maintaining and fostering relations among the constituent Episcopal Conferences. In view of this, “the General Assembly of RECOWA brings together Catholic Bishops from the 16 West African countries”, he noted.
The CSN head gave the theme of the Conference: “Fratelli Tutti: Path to building human fraternity and sustainable peace in West Africa,” which is in line with Pope Francis’ Encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, released in 2020. He also stated that based on the theme, the 2022 RECOWA General Assembly will pay attention to our common humanity, appreciating those issues that speak to us more on the understanding that we all are brothers and sisters.
Driven by the awareness of our common humanity, the press release emphasised that “RECOWA plenaries discuss peculiar issues that affect the lives of millions of people in West Africa and explore how best the Church can support governments toward improving the living conditions of the people. RECOWA has various organs that address the issues of interfaith dialogue, security, good governance, justice and peace.” Moreover, it noted that “as RECOWA, the Church has been able to raise concerns and work together on issues bordering on justice and peace. From Senegal to Nigeria, RECOWA has been a strong voice against land grabbing, child trafficking, illegal migration, terrorism, placing the issue of climate change on the concurrent list to curb desertification and many others.” Fr. Samjumi observed that “these issues will still form part of the agenda at the 2022 plenary.”
Taking the press personnel down the historical lane of RECOWA, the Secretary General explained that initially, the Bishops of West Africa had two different organs of collegiality based on linguistic differences. The English speaking were in one group known as Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (AECAWA established in 1977) while the French speaking were known as Conférence Episcopale Régionale de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CERAO established in 1963). However, realising “the need for a united West African nation on ecclesiastical sphere, in line with ECOWAS arrangement on the geopolitical platform, and the need to come together as a people, to join forces and pool resources together for consolidated pastoral programmes in the West African region, the Bishops resolved to form one single Episcopal Association that would bring all Bishops of West Africa on one platform.” That resolution brought about what is today known as RECOWA/CERAO.
While appealing to the laity to support the entire process, in order to witness a successful hosting, and to the media personnel to give the event the needed publicity, Fr. Samjumi concluded that the invocation of the blessings of the Shepherds of the Church in West Africa will be part of the spiritual benefits of hosting the RECOWA General Assembly to Nigeria as a nation.
The press briefing was fully attended by Directors of CSN, including the Deputy Secretary General of CSN and Director, Pastoral Affairs, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, the Deputy Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Peter Babangida Audu, all the Rev. Sisters at the CSN and other CBCN Secretaries as well as staff of the various departments.
