From Canvas to Conscience: Young Creatives Turn Art into a Weapon Against Corruption

From Canvas to Conscience: Young Creatives Turn Art into a Weapon Against Corruption

By Gloria Sarauniya Usman

ABUJA, NIGERIA June, 2026 -

Young Nigerian creatives have pledged to deploy the power of art, music, poetry, film, and storytelling to promote integrity, accountability, and whistleblowing, following their emergence as winners of the 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition.

Organised by Step Up Nigeria in collaboration with the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, the competition attracted 172 entries from participants across 31 states of the federation. Five outstanding creatives emerged winners in the categories of skit, music, poetry and spoken word, visual arts, and writing, with each receiving a cash prize of ₦500,000. The winners include Gilbert Owan, Akinfolarin Jeremiah Damilola, Anita Wokoji, Moses Idowu Sodipo, and Oguche Gabriel.

Speaking after her victory in the Poetry and Spoken Word category, Anita Wokoji said creative expression remains one of the most effective tools for inspiring civic responsibility and social change. She noted that artists have a duty not only to entertain but also to challenge wrongdoing and encourage citizens to speak out against corruption and injustice. Music category winner, Akinfolarin Jeremiah Damilola, also pledged to use his craft to influence positive behaviour among young people, stressing that courage and active citizenship are essential to building a better society.

Programme Manager of Step Up Nigeria, Feranmi Iyanda, described the quality and volume of entries as evidence of growing youth interest in accountability and public-interest advocacy. She announced the creation of the first World Whistleblower Day Fellows cohort, which will serve as a platform for mentoring future participants and sustaining advocacy campaigns. Iyanda also renewed calls for the enactment of a comprehensive whistleblower protection law, arguing that stronger legal safeguards are critical to encouraging citizens to report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.

Representatives of anti-corruption and civil society organisations used the event to highlight the role of integrity in national development. Speaking on behalf of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Suleiman Achebe said integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Meanwhile, Communications Manager of Step Up Nigeria, Dr. Shekwogaza Kure, said the competition demonstrated how creativity can be harnessed as a powerful advocacy tool, adding that the organisation would continue to amplify conversations around transparency, accountability, and whistleblower protection through various public engagement initiatives.