The Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAMPAN) has condemned the mockery of the Catholic faith by the students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka university, Makurdi by abusing the clerical robes of clergy and religious sisters of the church.
In a statement signed by its National President, Sir Chimdi Oluoha, Godwin-Maria Utuedoye, National Secretary and the Makurdi chapter Chairman, Hembadoon Orsar, stated that the use of clerical robes or costume for the purposes of drama should depict the essence of the original text of such regalia. The statement noted that even the Nigerian film industry always censors all films before they are released for public consumption.
The statement argued that the Film Industry do censors all its works meticulously to ensure every negative intents are removed before use, adding that it is condemnable for a University that should lead by example and regarded as a citadel of learning to allow its students engage in such negative actions that portray mockery of a particular faith and religion and uncensored.
"This action sadly represents an attack on the Catholic Church and a mockery of the peoples' faith.
"It shows gross disrespect to the sanctity and values of the Catholic faith and all that she holds in high esteem as it is a clear mockery of the institution of revered religious sisters that are perpetually decent and models in their dressing despite their outstanding physical beauty for the sake of glorifying God."
The statement maintained that if the students had desired to use their costume in good faith, they should have done so properly to depict what they represented as it is on record in the history of the church, that no one religious sister or nun dresses in robes that goes above the their knees.
"The action of the students is seen by CAMPAN, a professional body of media personnel in the Church that cut across different medium both local, national and international within the Nigeria and saddled with the responsibility of communicating Christ in their reportage and keeping the records clear and straight and protecting the image of the Church from deliberate effort to insult, mock or damage the Catholic faith.
"While it is a free world, your freedom ends where others begins, thereby creating a thin line between your freedom and that of others, one must be careful not to cross the line. It is disheartening that the University seem to have failed in their responsibility to teach her students the fragility and consequences that accompanies issues of religion which has led to brazen disrespect with the Catholic Church as its first victim.
We agree that as communication scholars and practitioners, the law of indecency and obscenity is not universal, it is however good to note that good character upbringing should teach us never to go beyond the acceptable limits in whatever circumstance.
The Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi should call its students to order and immediately put a halt to what they have started to serve as deterrent to others who might be tempted to imitate and do same with others beliefs and faith, except the University is telling the world that they have changed the general requirement for award of Degrees based on character and learning.