Think home , don't allow social media influence your relationship-

 

By Tobias Ekirika

A priest of Onitsha Archdiocese, Very Rev. fr. Dr Anacietus Ogbunkwu has called on parents and families to be wary of using the social media to avoid allowing it to influence their relationship and family negatively.

Ogbunkwu stated this at Trinity College  basilica Square,  Onitsha while speaking on the topic: "Catholic And Identity; Media Challenges And Prospects The Responsible Netizenship" at World Communication Day celebration.

 Fr Ogbunkwu noted that social media has influenced our aptitude negatively as according to him, most families has lost the conscious of praying together, sitting together to discuss an important  issues affecting the family as everyone focuses on pressing phones, our youths can not sit down and study their books today as a result of pressing phones, he emphasized.

The Catholic priest said platforms like Facebook,  Whatsapp, TikTok, Instagram among others, though secular in nature can be powerful tools for evangelization if properly used.

Engr Chukwuebuka Fred Agbata in his lecture emphasized on the transformative role of the digital knowledge across all age groups, stressing that Artificial Intelligence (AI) now provide solution to research queries,  create business opportunities for the youths and facilities entrepreneurship.

Another speaker, Dr Uche Nwakor speaks exsenssivelly on the negative impact of phones, laptops etc to our health, mostly for  putting phones on our chest or on our side pocket of the trousers and placing laptops on our lapps which according to him has contributed to slump and die syndrome that is rampant in our society today. He advocated for the use of "Conik radio active shield" mostly for phone and laptop users to prevent the negative effects on our bodies.

Mr Uche Izuoba on the topic: "Responsible Evangelization Through Digital Media". Urged all social media users to verify information before post, sharing, nothing that what we post or share could course crises which may result to deaths. Mr Izuoba urged christians to use social media platforms for preachings of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world. 

Early in his keynote address , the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev Valerian Maduka Okeke ably represented by the chancellor of Archdiocese of Onitsha very Rev Fr Dr Prudent Emeka Aroh said the event became necessary as most of the crimes committed in our society today emanated from the social media. Though he noted that event was also to thank God for the gift of social media which he said has come to easier our communication with outside world, saying social media has made the world a global family.

The chancellor stressed the need for the christians to make proper use of social media platforms for the good of humanity and the glory of God.

In an interview, the Archdiocesan Director of communication very Rev Fr Dr Gearge Adimike thanked God for what he described as a successful 2025 Onitsha Archdiocese communication week.

 The communication director thanked all that contributed to the success of the event mostly Hon Pascal Agbodike whom he said sponsored the entertainment part of the event single handedly. He urged the representatives of various societies, parishes, schools to spread what they leant to their schools, parishes saying social media has come to stay.

The theme of this year's communication week was Share With Gentleness The Hope Is In Your Heart.