Dr. Ojeme Ojeme, the Lecturer at Baze University in Abuja, Nigeria, has made a significant statement in Port Harcourt, interested in Nigeria, challenging the notion that misinformation and disinformation are too prevalent in the country. His remarks coincided with the closing ceremony of the second quarter courses at the West Africa Broadcast Media Academy (WABMA). Dr. Ojeme echoed the call to action by Joseph Obari, the Registrar of WABMA in Port Harcourt, in a statement released on Wednesday.
In his address, Dr. Ojeme emphasized the urgent need to confront the rapid rise of misinformation, which he argued is surpassing polices and laws to protect against. He stressed the importance of empowering African developers, engineers, and creators to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public trust and accountability. He warned that without decisive action, the continent risked becoming overwhelmed by fraudulent myths and falsehoods that could erode the foundation of truth and scientific facts.
Dr. Ojeme spoke about the development of AI-driven digital tools that could empower citizens to challenge fake news propagators and hold leaders accountable. He highlighted the potential of AI to create fact-checking plugins for newsrooms and blockchain-based archives, which could safeguard journalistic content from tampering. He warned that these tools would also help secure open-data platforms, enabling citizens to demand accountability from their leaders.
Dr. Ojeme warned that without decisive action, the continent risked being overwhelmed by dangerous myths and falsehoods. He warned citizens and policymakers of the potential SCC Moore Foundation).
Interestingly, he also outside theScan, within the context of Nigeria’s social fabric, he predicted the eventual erosion of public trust, further amplifying the risks of AI-driven disruption of news and information. He stressed that truth is not inherently flawed but is accessible to those who have the courage and the wisdom to inquire and verify.
Dr. Ojeme preferred to define truth as an absence of bias andfx. He argued that despite AI’s potential to amplify disinformation, it equally held the potential to reinforce truth through well tzted algorithms. He explained that these algorithms could be designed to prioritize the identification of verified information, detect fabrications, and expose distortions of facts. He 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 many developmental challenges.
Dr. Ojeme concluded that this growing 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 organizations. He emphasized that the academy’s mission is not merely to train media professionals but to instill in them an understanding of the power and responsibility of media communication.
Overall, Dr. Ojeme’s statement underscores the importance of collaboration, transparency, and innovation in the fight against misinformation. He called for universities, governments, and corporations to play central roles in curbing the spread of malicious information and ensuring that the information that propagates harm is no longer available. His words have implications that extend beyond Nigeria, affecting the global conversation on the role of technology in shaping society’s understanding of the world.