BRIEF HISTORY AND PERSONNEL

• Among the wonderful technological discoveries which men of talent, especially in the present era, have made with God’s help, the Church welcomes and promotes with special interest those which have a most direct relation to men’s mind and which have uncovered new avenues of communicating most readily news, views and teachings of every sort. The most important of these inventions are those media which, such as the Press, movies, radio, television and the like, can, of their very nature, reach and influence, not only individuals, but the very masses and the whole of human society, and thus can rightly be called the media of social communication.
• The Church recognizes that these media, If properly utilized, can be of great service to mankind, since they greatly contribute to men’s entertainment and instruction as well as to the spread and support of the kingdom of God. The Church recognizes, too, that men can employ these media contrary to the plan of the Creator and to their own loss. Indeed, the Church experiences maternal grief at the harm all too often done to society by their evil use’ (Inter Mirifica, Decree on the Media of Social Communications, Nos. 1 & 2)
• It suffices to say that this Commission was set up solely for Evangelization.
• It would be impossible for people to hear the good news of Christ without the aid of this office.
• In fact, the Holy Father, Pope Francis just commissioned the Dicastery (a department of the Roman Curia) for Communication on 29th June, 2015.
• This also trickles down to the National, Provincial and even the Diocesan levels.
• From the inception of the Diocese, about 50 years ago, a lot of efforts have been put into the work of Communication led by Late Bishop Anthony Sanusi, Missionaries, Indigenous Priests, Religious and Laity of the Diocese. Where are we in recent times?

BISHOP FRANCIS ADESINA THE CHIEF AND PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

FR. EMMANUEL ODOEMENE FIDE DONUM PRIEST WHO BEGAN THE PUBLICATION OF THE PARTNER NEWSPAPER IN 2004

FR. MICHAEL ADEBANJO FORMER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION WHO IS CURRENTLY ON MISSION

LATE FR. CONRAD ORCINO FI VOLUNTEER TYPESETTER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER

FR. STEPHEN OSITIMEHIN FORMER COMMUNIC ATION DIREC TOR AND M Y PREDECESSOR WHO IS CURRENTLY ON MISSION

FR LEO AWOJINRIN FORMER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION (Currently on Studies)

FR. AUGUSTINE ADETOLA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

FR. ANTHONY ADETAYO Director of Social Communications.

Mrs. MARIA-GORETTI ADESEMOWO A VOLUNTEER AND EDITOR OF THE PARTNER NEWSPAPER.

MISS VERONICA ATIKIRIJI VOLUNTEER JOURNALIST AND ENGLISH EXPERT.

MR. DANIEL PIUS A VOLUNTEER YOUTH AND PHOTO/VIDEO JOURNALIST

SCOPE OF WORK

• Our scope of work actually covers everything that has to do with information as it concerns the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-ode. Hence, if anyone requires any authentic information, one can get it from the Communication Office.
• Making it more practical, we dissemination information from the Bishop to the Priests, Religious and Laity (ad intra and ad extra).
• We announce and popularise Diocesan events on the social media and through other forms of media
• We cover Diocesan events in videos and pictures
• We produce and circulate the Diocesan Newspaper

ACHIEVEMENTS

• We have an office complex at No.5, Motubo Street, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode which was opened by one of our Predecessors, Fr. Michael Adebanjo
• We have a couple of pages on social media: YouTube- Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode; Facebook – I-partner Ijebu-Ode; Instagram – I-partner Ijebu-Ode
• We now produce the Partner Newspaper monthly unlike previously when it was produced once in two months. Also, so many spicy columns have been added
• With the support of Proganda Fidei received through SIGNIS, we have conducted two successful training programmes for agents of Communication as well as for Priests and Religious within Ijebu-ode Diocese
• In 2017, the Diocese hosted all the Communication Directors in Nigeria at Louis Bautain Conference and Retreat Centre, Itele-Ijebu.,
• We have inaugurated the ‘Catholic Media Professionals’ Association of Nigeria’ (CAMPAN) in our diocese in order to make the work of communication more effective and efficient in our Diocese.
  We have also inaugurated the ‘Catholic Artists and Entertainers’ Association of Nigeria’ (CAEAN) in our Diocese in order to make our Diocesan reception at events more colourful
• Our Diocesan website is now up and running. That you are able to read this is a testimony to that fact.

CHALLENGES

• Lack of Personnel to run the office
• Lack of Funds: The only support we receive is once in a year when we have the world Communication Sunday Collection.
• Poor patronage of our diocesan newspaper and the remittance of the proceeds from the sales. The Chancery gets the highest number and pays us promptly
• No adverts to keep the newspaper running. Only the Diocesan Institutions advertise with us at least once a year.

PROSPECTS

• Personnel: We need at least a graduate of English language, a graduate of Mass Communication, a Photo/Video Journalist and a graphic designer in order for the office to function to capacity
• Equipment: We need another video camera (300k), a photo camera (120k), a laptop (200k), 2 Flat screen computers (80k each), a recent model Ipad (150k) or tablet (120k) to be able to serve the Diocese better
• We foresee a time when all events in pictures and videos will be covered effectively and efficiently in the Diocese by our office
• We hope to partner more with Lumen Christi television on DSTV Channel 350 to showcase more of the events of our Diocese.
• We hope to write to more funding agencies outside the Country to support training programmes and workshops for Youth and interested persons on Media Education at the service of Evangelization.
• We foresee a time when all printing works including our Sunday Bulletins will be printed at the Diocesan Printing Press.