By Achile Momoh
Jimmy Kande, Executive Director of Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), personally presented awards to the winners of the Step Up Nigeria (SUN) and PPLAAF partnership competition — the World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition 2026 — in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The competition drew 172 entries from young people across 31 states, with 111 male and 61 female participants showcasing exceptional talent in skits, music, poetry, art, and writing. The entries creatively highlighted vital themes of whistleblowing, integrity, citizen responsibility, and the need to strengthen legal protection for whistleblowers in Nigeria.
Winners by Category:
Skit Category: Gilbert Owan – The Pledge
Music Category: Akinfolarin Jeremiah Damilola – Voice Against Silence
Poetry and Spoken Word: Anita Chigbomkpa Nwokoji – On The 7th Floor
Art Category: Moses Idowu Sodipo – The Veil of Governance
Written Article Category: Oguche Gabriel Onuche In A World of Loud Evil, Silence is Permission
In his remarks, Kande underscored how art and media serve as powerful, accessible tools for raising awareness and driving action in the fight against corruption, & advancing whistleblower protection, complementing traditional advocacy efforts.
The awards ceremony followed an earlier media roundtable and conference organised by Step Up Nigeria. Feranmi Iyanda, Step Up Nigeria’s Director of Programmes, noted that the competition reflected a growing interest among young people in whistleblowing and accountability. She announced that each winner would receive a cash prize of ₦500,000 and would form the first cohort of World Whistleblower Day Fellows. This network is expected to mentor future participants and sustain long-term advocacy efforts. Iyanda further explained that whistleblowing extends beyond anti-corruption to include reporting issues related to public safety, security, environmental concerns, and other matters of public interest.
Shekwogaza Kure, Communications Manager for Step Up Nigeria, said the competition was designed to amplify young voices and stimulate broader conversations around whistleblowing, accountability, transparency, and stronger legal protection 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 ongoing efforts to promote integrity among young Nigerians through student 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,” he said.
The winners expressed profound gratitude for the opportunity, stating that the competition validated their talents and reinforced their commitment to leveraging creativity for social change and greater accountability.
