Ajang made the call on Sunday while addressing newsmen on the sideline of the 2024 World Communication Day celebration at St. John Parish, Mararaba, Nasarawa.
The theme of the 54th edition of celebration is: ”Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: For a Fully Human Communication.’
The bishop said there were many disinformation and misinformation around the world about Africa and its heritage.
He said that the negative narrative could be changed through effective use of technology.
He said that, rather than promote nudity, drug abuse, and unexplained flamboyant lifestyles that were alien to Africa, the continent’s core values should be promoted.
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”We need proper education on the importance of African heritage. We have a lot in Africa which can teach other cultures.
”Once upon a time, we were made to believe that everything about Africa is negative but with the passage of time, we have come to realise that we have a lot to teach the world.
”They will not get to know those things if they are not educated, so it is the responsibility of Africans to enlighten the other parts of the globe.
”That is where influencers and those who create content are called to be actively involved.
”Where African content creators partake in this advancement and are able to populate the space with a lot of African cultures, people will see and know that we too have a lot to teach” he said.
Earlier in his sermon, Ajang said that AI is transforming the world of information and communication, and affecting everyone irrespective of professional leaning.
He said that Nigerians must acknowledge the excitement and confusion that came with rapid innovation and take necessary precautions.
The cleric said the human heart symbolised freedom, decision-making, integrity, and unity, saying that everyone must engage their emotions, desires, and dreams, and encounter God in the inward place of the heart.
”As technology advances, we must not lose sight of our humanity, rather, we must engage AI with openness and sensitivity, starting from our humanity.
”We must strive to become a new kind of humans with deeper spirituality, freedom, and maturity. AI must never replace human beings.
“AI is a tool that can effectively build community if properly deployed but it remains subject to the Almighty Intelligence which is God and to His creatures, human beings who are made in His image.
”Thus, we still need human community, and must do everything to foster it.
”As we navigate this technological age, may we embrace the wisdom of the heart and be guided by the Holy Spirit and love of God and our neighbour,” he said.
Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Michael Umor, the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), called for an intensive campaign to educate the populace on the use of AI.
According to him, without proper education, the modern technology in the hands of the people is like a loaded gun in the hands of a uninformed person.
”So, it is through education that people will come to understand what it really means, how it should be used, and the philosophy and ideologies behind which are not obvious to the people.
According to him, the more people, particularly fellow Catholic media practitioners and Catholics in media industry understand this, the better.
The President of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) Dr Nneka Ogbor, tasked mothers to be vigilant as their children engaged in the use of AI.
She blamed the high rate of crime and other social vices in the society on failure in the office of the mother.
”Today being Sunday, you will see some children at home pressing phone and chatting; in a way, we mothers have somehow failed in our duties.
”To some extent, technology has done good things for us, but to some extent, it has been disastrous to the welfare of society.
”I call on the mothers like me to wake up to our responsibilities and duties ,” she said.
