by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Stephen Baba Panya, has disclosed that, “Anybody that does not invest in media would just be left behind and will not be relevant again, in terms of reaching today’s generation.”
He made the disclosure to newsmen during the 70th anniversary of Radio ELWA and Book Launch held at ECWA Headquarters Jos, recently.
Rev Panya stressed that, “The Church needs to evolve in changing the narrative; that is why we have to adapt to using all forms of technological media channels now, in order to preach the gospel and to reach out to people.
“In many instances there have been places that the evangelist cannot physically go, and there are also cases where the countries would just prevent the spreading of the gospel.
“But, through the airwaves, most of the time the gospel is preached in the closed region or countries,” he said, while describing the media as a great channel for Evangelism because of its wide coverage.
The Radio ELWA’s mission was for all who hear the gospel message broadcast through word, drama, and music to receive ministry, encouragement and information, restoring hope and mending broken and shattered hearts.
The ‘Eternal Love Winning Africa’ (ELWA) Radio Station was said to be the first Christian broadcasting Ministry in Africa, and was established in 1950’s, when the Lord brought a group of young people from the US to Liberia to establish Radio ELWA.
By signing on in January 1954, ELWA Radio grew until it could be heard proclaiming the gospel throughout West and North Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
This was until when civil war broke out in Liberia, in 1990, the radio station was burned and looted, and for about 13 years, ELWA Radio struggled to stay on the air through waves of civil strife, broadcasting from an old garage building.
Our correspondent gathered that, the Ministry was threatened again when a fire gutted that building in 2011, but with faith and determination, the ELWA Radio staff set up two studios in the transmitter building and continued work, carrying their listeners through the difficult times of the Ebola epidemic, in 2014, and the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, when churches were closed and life was disrupted.
The guest speaker, Rev. Comdr. Dogo Gani, who is Director, Air Force Military Chaplain, said, “The power of hearing is a channel of facilitating words message to the understanding of individuals or group of persons – to understand the power of the media and the need to support its sustainability for the realization of the vision of the forefathers who established the medium.
“The power of hearing is a channel, which we can receive information, sound and messages and the only means that provides understanding,” he noted.
While speaking earlier, the Director, Radio ELWA, Rev. Abel Samu, thanked God for the support of the ECWA Executive in the past seven decades of the medium.
According to him, despite the numerous challenges faced by the Radio station, they are thanking God for His grace, mercies, provisions, protection and faithfulness to ELWA for the past 70 years.
As he explained the reason for dedicating the ELWA historical book, he also said that, “The monumental impact of Radio ELWA yesterday, today and tomorrow are aptly captured by the authors of the book.”
He make a special appeal for the sustainability of media outfits, considering the current economic realities in the country and assuring the people that the proceeds realized at the event will be used to equip Radio ELWA studios.
At the same time, the Radio ELWA director made a special appeal to the ECWA leadership to double their grants to help meet their operational expenses, undertake the full payment of ELWA staff salaries and to restore the annual ELWA Week of Prayers that will be rounded-up with special collections for the department.
Also reviewing the book, the book reviewer, Prof. Haruna Ayuba, who is Vice Chancellor, Bingham University, said the 16 chapters’ book, which is titled, ‘ELWA Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,’ has 131 pages.
The director appreciated the thorough work done by the writers – going deep in the history of the Radio ELWA, and described the station as the “Air Force for Evangelism of ECWA,” adding that, “the book is a must-read for all those who love the gospel.”
The representative of Governor Mutfwang, a Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Rev. Dr. Steven Dangana, commended the work of the radio station and, by extension the church, in the area of preaching the gospel of love and peace.
There were goodwill messages from the Chairman, Plateau State Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emirs, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, represented by Agwom Izere, Rev. Dr. Isaac Wakili, Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council, (AMAC), Mr. Christopher Zakka, among other guests.
The occasion witness several Awards, which were presented to individuals and organizations, who played significant roles in sustaining the outfit, some of which were posthumous awards to the likes of Evangelist Dalhatu Abdu, among others.
Radio ELWA has transmitted in over 46 languages across the globe and, currently, Radio ELWA is sponsoring programs in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Nupe, Olu Ndi Igbo and Gbayi in different Radio stations in Lagos, Ilorin, Bida, Abuja, Jos, Kaduna and Owerri, respectively.