Tech
Build Apps That Detect Fake News, Don Urges AI Developers
A lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, Dr Tope Ojeme, has urged Artificial Intelligence developers to create digital applications capable of detecting fake news and combating unethical media practices in Nigeria.
Okeke made the remark in a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt by Joseph Obari, Registrar of the West Africa Broadcast Media Academy.
The statement said that Ojeme spoke at the closing ceremony of the Second Quarter Courses of the WABMA in Abuja while presenting a paper.
Ojeme, speaking on the theme,”Beyond debunking: Building a Culture of Media Integrity in Africa’s Next Century,” emphasised the urgent need to confront the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation in Africa.
According to him, the development of AI-driven digital tools would empower citizens to challenge fake news propagators and hold leaders accountable.
“We must empower African developers, engineers, and creators to build AI-powered fact-checking plugins for newsrooms, and blockchain-based archives to safeguard journalistic content from tampering.
“These tools will also help secure open-data platforms, enabling citizens to demand accountability from their leaders,” Ojeme said.
He warned that unless decisive action was taken to stem the growing trend of disinformation, the continent risks being overwhelmed by dangerous myths and falsehoods that could eclipse truth and scientific facts.
According to him, we could soon find ourselves in a world where fake cures go viral; conspiracy theories infiltrate classrooms, and elections are manipulated by digital bots.
He added that it would gradually erode public trust, which had been the very foundation of any democratic society.
Ojeme, who is also a media practitioner, argued that although technology had fuelled the proliferation of fake news, it equally held the potential to reinforce truth through well-structured algorithms.
He explained that such algorithms could be designed to prioritise the identification of verified information, detect fabrications, and expose distortions of facts.
He further warned that the rapid spread of fake news and the use of deepfake technology to manipulate video content posed serious risks to societies already grappling with numerous developmental challenges.
“This looming threat highlights the urgency of building systems of truth – ecosystems of integrity, legal frameworks to protect truth-telling journalists, and the establishment of ‘truth desks’ in media organisations.
“There is a pressing need to confront this challenge head-on.
“We are living in an age of noise, where the loudest microphone command attention, speed supersedes sense, and volume overwhelms value,” Ojeme concluded.
Earlier, the Rector of WABMA, Dr Ken Okere, said that the academy’s mission was beyond training media professionals as it instilled in them an understanding of the power and responsibility of media communication.
He presented certificates to participants who successfully completed the media and communication courses and awarded cash prizes to the top three entries in the DebunkIt Challenge.
Okere, however, explained that the DebunkIt Challenge was organised to mark the 100th edition of the WABMA Fake News Debunker, which began in April 2022.
Punchng.com
Nigerian gospel singer, Toluwanisings is reportedly dead
His death was announced by the Convener of the Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates, COPA, Pelumi Olajengbesi on Wednesday.
Expressing concern over the death of young Nigerians, Olajengbesi, in a post on Instagram, pleaded for God’s mercy.
Concerns mount over reports of Toluwanisings’ death
While noting that the death of Toluwanisings is not God’s plan, he wrote, “We say no to untimely death.”
Sharing the singer’s picture, Pelumi said, “My God! What a life! No, Lord! We plead for Your mercy upon Toluwanisings.
“I am deeply troubled by the deaths of young men and women. This is not God’s plan for us.”
Reacting to the sad news, comedian Woli Agba said they are still praying for a miracle.
He wrote on his page, “Please hold on. Please don’t conclude. We are trusting God. Please.”
Responding in the comments section, singer Boyebest wrote, “Yes yes yes. Yeah I have faith in God. I do. God you’ll do this one.”
This came about two hours after the rumour first surfaced on social media.
DAILY POST reports that the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death have not been revealed as of the time of this report
Nollywood actress, Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha has announced the death of her father, Leonard Ndukaife Chukwuka.
The actress disclosed this in an emotional post on Instagram on Friday, saying her father had “gone to be with the Lord.”
Chukwuka said she lost her mother 13 years ago and described the death of her father as painful, noting that she was now without either parent.
“I lost my mother 13 years ago and now that my father is gone, the thought that I have neither parent here anymore breaks my heart in a way I cannot fully explain. So na only me bayi?”
Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpotha and her late father, Leonard Chukwuka…Photo Credit: IG / chiomaakpotha
Describing her late father as “my daddy, papa’m, obara’m, my comfort,” the actress expressed gratitude for his long life and for the opportunity he had to see his children and grandchildren.
“I am so thankful you lived a long life, and I am grateful to God you saw your children and grandchildren. We had hoped you would meet your great-grandchildren too, mana nya diba!” she said.
Chukwuka also reflected on the difficulty of losing a parent, regardless of their age.
“No matter how many years we are given with a parent, we still want one more conversation, one more embrace, one more day,” she wrote.
She said she was grateful for the moments she shared with her father, particularly towards the end of his life.
Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpotha..Photo Credit: IG / chiomaakpotha
The actress said she had kept the news private while coming to terms with her grief before deciding to announce his death.
“I have held this news close while trying to understand my own grief,” she said.
She asked the public to keep her, her siblings and the entire Chukwuka family in their prayers, adding that details of her father’s funeral would be announced when the family was ready.
“Rest well, Olowo of Ikate, my father. I will always love you,” she wrote.
Chukwuka accompanied the announcement with biblical passages, including Proverbs 17:6 and Psalm 34:18, which speaks of the Lord being close to the brokenhearted.
The government has declared Monday, September 21, 2026, as a statutory public holiday to mark Founder’s Day.
The Ministry of the Interior announced the declaration in a notice dated September 14, 2026, informing the general public that the day should be observed as a public holiday throughout the country.
Founder’s Day is a day set aside to recognise the people whose efforts contributed to Ghana’s struggle for independence and the establishment of the country.
The day is closely associated with Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minister and later President, who played a leading role in the country’s independence movement.
September 21 is also significant because it is Nkrumah’s birthday.
The holiday has, however, been the subject of changes over the years. Under the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019, August 4 was designated Founder’s Day, while September 21 was observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
The 2025 amendment changed this arrangement, with September 21 now listed as Founder’s Day. The Ministry of the Interior’s 2026 public holiday calendar confirms September 21 as Founder’s Day and a statutory public holiday.
Founder’s Day provides an opportunity for Ghanaians to reflect on the country’s journey to independence and remember the individuals and movements that contributed to the establishment of the Ghanaian state.
It is also a day to reflect on the values, sacrifices and political struggles that shaped Ghana’s path to independence.
The holiday falls on Monday, September 21, 2026, meaning workers, students and the general public will have a statutory holiday on that day.
The public is therefore encouraged to take note of the date and observe the holiday accordingly.
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