The Executive Director of the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), Jimmy Kande, has honoured outstanding young Nigerian creatives who emerged winners of the World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition 2026.
Kande personally presented awards to the winners of the competition, organised through a partnership between Step Up Nigeria (SUN) and PPLAAF, during a ceremony held in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The competition attracted 172 entries from young Nigerians across 31 states, with participants showcasing creativity through skits, music, poetry, art, and written articles focused on whistleblowing, integrity, citizen responsibility, accountability, and the need for stronger protection for whistleblowers.
The winners included Gilbert Owan, who emerged winner in the Skit Category with “The Pledge”; Akinfolarin Jeremiah Damilola, winner of the Music Category with “Voice Against Silence”; Anita Chigbomkpa Nwokoji, winner of the Poetry and Spoken Word Category with “On The 7th Floor”; Moses Idowu Sodipo, winner of the Art Category with “The Veil of Governance”; and Oguche Gabriel Onuche, winner of the Written Article Category with “In A World of Loud Evil, Silence is Permission.”
Speaking at the event, Kande emphasised the role of art and media as powerful tools for public awareness, noting that creative expression can complement traditional advocacy in promoting transparency, fighting corruption, and strengthening whistleblower protection.
The awards ceremony followed a media roundtable and conference organised by Step Up Nigeria. The organisation’s Director of Programmes, Feranmi Iyanda, said the competition demonstrated increasing interest among young Nigerians in accountability and whistleblowing.
Iyanda announced that each winner would receive a cash prize of ₦500,000 and become part of the first cohort of World Whistleblower Day Fellows, a network expected to mentor future participants and sustain advocacy for transparency and accountability.
She explained that whistleblowing goes beyond anti-corruption efforts, extending to issues of public safety, security, environmental protection, and other matters affecting the public interest.
Step Up Nigeria’s Communications Manager, Shekwogaza Kure, said the initiative was created to amplify young voices and encourage conversations around whistleblowing, integrity, and stronger legal safeguards for whistleblowers.
“The competition gave young Nigerians an opportunity to use creativity as a tool for advocacy,” Kure said.
He added that Step Up Nigeria would release two podcast episodes as part of activities marking World Whistleblower Day, featuring experts and the competition winners.
Representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Suleiman Achebe highlighted the Commission’s efforts to promote integrity among young Nigerians through anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools and the Student Anti-Corruption Vanguard in tertiary institutions.
“Part of the bigger definition of integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching,” Achebe said.
The winners expressed appreciation for the opportunity, describing the competition as an encouragement to continue using creativity as a platform for social change, accountability, and responsible citizenship.
