The Executive Director of the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), Jimmy Kande, has honoured five outstanding young Nigerians who emerged winners of the 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition, a collaborative initiative between PPLAAF and Step Up Nigeria aimed at promoting integrity, accountability, and whistleblower protection through creative expression.
The competition, which attracted 172 entries from participants across 31 states of the federation, showcased the creativity and commitment of young Nigerians in advancing conversations around whistleblowing and civic responsibility. Of the total entries received, 111 were submitted by male participants while 61 came from female contestants.
Participants competed in five categories—skits, music, poetry and spoken word, visual art, and written articles—using their talents to highlight the importance of speaking up against wrongdoing and strengthening legal safeguards for whistleblowers in Nigeria.
The winners included Gilbert Owan, whose skit The Pledge won the Skit Category; Akinfolarin Jeremiah Damilola, whose song Voice Against Silence emerged victorious in the Music Category; Anita Chigbomkpa Nwokoji, who won the Poetry and Spoken Word Category with On The 7th Floor; Moses Idowu Sodipo, whose artwork The Veil of Governance claimed the Art Category prize; and Oguche Gabriel Onuche, who won the Written Article Category with his piece titled In A World of Loud Evil, Silence is Permission.
Presenting the awards, Kande emphasized the critical role of creative arts and media in promoting transparency and accountability across society.
“Art and media are powerful and accessible tools for raising awareness and inspiring action. They help bring important issues such as whistleblower protection and anti-corruption advocacy closer to ordinary citizens, particularly young people,” he said.
The awards ceremony followed a media roundtable and conference organized by Step Up Nigeria as part of activities commemorating World Whistleblower Day.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Programmes at Step Up Nigeria, Feranmi Iyanda, said the quality and diversity of submissions demonstrated growing interest among Nigerian youths in issues of accountability and whistleblowing.
According to her, each winner will receive a cash prize of ₦500,000 and become part of the inaugural cohort of World Whistleblower Day Fellows, a network designed to nurture future advocates and sustain engagement on integrity-related issues.
“The competition reflects the increasing willingness of young Nigerians to engage with issues of accountability and transparency. Beyond recognizing their talents, we want to create a community of advocates who will continue to champion whistleblower protection and civic responsibility,” Iyanda said.
She stressed that whistleblowing should not be viewed solely through the lens of anti-corruption, noting that it also encompasses reporting threats to public safety, environmental concerns, security issues, and other matters affecting the public interest.
Also speaking, Step Up Nigeria's Communications Manager, Shekwogaza Kure, said the initiative was conceived to amplify youth voices and encourage broader national conversations on accountability and legal protection for whistleblowers.
“The competition gave young Nigerians an opportunity to use creativity as a tool for advocacy,” Kure stated. “Through art, music, writing, and performance, participants were able to communicate powerful messages about transparency, integrity, and the importance of speaking up when wrongdoing occurs.”
Kure further announced that Step Up Nigeria would release two special podcast episodes as part of activities marking World Whistleblower Day. The episodes will feature experts in governance and accountability as well as winners of the competition sharing their experiences and perspectives.
Representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Suleiman Achebe highlighted the Commission's ongoing efforts to instill values of integrity among young Nigerians through anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools and the Student Anti-Corruption Vanguard programme in tertiary institutions.
“Part of the bigger definition of integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching,” Achebe said, urging young people to uphold ethical values and actively contribute to building a more transparent society.
The winners expressed gratitude to the organizers for providing a platform that recognizes creativity while advancing social causes. They noted that the competition had strengthened their resolve to use their talents to promote accountability, inspire civic engagement, and contribute to positive social change.
The World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition forms part of broader efforts by PPLAAF and Step Up Nigeria to raise awareness about the importance of whistleblowing and advocate stronger legal protections for individuals who expose wrongdoing in the public interest.