In line with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism’s (WSCIJ) mission to engender a society where social justice is the norm through investigative journalism, the Centre joined Set Up Nigeria and the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) to commemorate the 2026 World Whistleblower Day.
The virtual event which held on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, underscored the critical role of young Nigerians in advancing accountability and combating corruption through whistleblowing. Similarly, outstanding creatives were also announced and honored for the Art and Media Competition on whistleblowing.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Musa Adamu, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), represented by Dr. Sina Babasola, Deputy Director in the Public Education Department, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to combating corruption in Nigeria.
He commended the creativity and innovation demonstrated by participants in the Whistleblower Art and Media Competition and underscored the importance of youth participation in promoting transparency and accountability.
Similarly, Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Aisha Mohammed, Head of the Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the commission, highlighted the critical role whistleblowers play in safeguarding public resources and strengthening accountability systems.
Cross section of participants and finalists at the 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art & Media Competition organised by Set Up Nigeria and the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF)
Mohammed reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to protecting whistleblowers and recognising acts of courage. She encouraged Nigerians to report wrongdoing and assured them of available protection mechanisms. She also expressed appreciation to the organisers and partners for advancing anti-corruption advocacy through innovative engagement. The event also featured the presentation of awards to winners of the 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition.
Providing an overview of the competition, Feranmi Adeola, Director of Programmes at Set Up Nigeria, said the initiative was designed to promote whistleblowing, transparency, and legal protection against retaliation for whistleblowers. According to Adeola, the competition received 172 entries from across Nigeria, comprising 111 male and 61 female participants. Submissions were received across five categories: skits/short films, music, spoken word/poetry, written articles, and artwork.
Lagos State recorded the highest number of entries with 37 submissions, followed by the Federal Capital Territory with 31. Nasarawa recorded 12 entries, while Oyo, Rivers, and Cross River states submitted eight, seven, and six entries respectively. Edo recorded six entries; Kogi and Plateau recorded five entries each, while Bayelsa submitted two entries.
Speaking on the selection process, Adeola explained that the review process lasted two weeks, during which judges assessed entries based on the competition criteria and shortlisted the top five entries in each category.
The winners of the competition emerged across the five categories. Akinfolarin Jeremiah won the Music Category with his entry titled “Voice Against Silence,” while Oguche Gabriel emerged winner of the Written Article Category with his article, “In a World of Loud Evil, Silence Is Permission.”
Moses Idowu clinched the Artwork Category with his piece titled “The Veil of Governance.” Anita Nwokoji won the Spoken Word/Poetry Category with “On the 7th Floor,” while Gilbert Owan emerged winner of the Skit/Short Film Category with his entry, “The Pledge.”
In her closing remarks, Selah Oladehinde, Programme Officer at the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), thanked the judges, anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to promoting integrity and accountability among young Nigerians.
The event was also attended by representatives of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), the Drug Free Project Initiative, and other organisations committed to strengthening transparency and accountability in Nigeria.
The program aligns with WSCIJ’s commitment to promoting accountability, transparency, civic engagement, through public-interest journalism as discussions around whistleblower protection, citizen participation, and anti-corruption advocacy complement WSCIJ’s ongoing efforts to strengthen investigative journalism and accountability reporting.
