The Faculty of Arts Students Association (FASA), OAU hosted its Arts Conference on Tuesday, June 24, 2026. The programme, tagged ‘Artisphere 2026’, was themed, ’Media, Technology and Leadership: Advancing Democratic Accountability in the Digital Age’, and it witnessed the attendance of institutional and governmental dignitaries including the Osun State Commissioner of Transport.
The conference featured keynote speeches, a panel session, interactive question and answer sessions, an award presentation, and networking sessions, amongst other engaging activities. Speakers dissected how the media and technological advancement can play key roles in holding leaders accountable in a democratic dispensation.
Bridging the Accountability Gap
Segun Solomon, the CEO of MADROS Technology, commented on how a low trust in governance processes contributes to a deficit in citizen participation in political activities. He cited information asymmetry as one of the accountability challenges breeding a trust deficiency in governance.
‘The government tells us 70 were killed but we know, from real-time data, that 250 people were killed. Even one person matters. They tell us a different story but we know that the case is different in reality.’
Expatiating on the understanding of digital accountability, Solomon stressed how technology, media and citizen participation are necessary components that will enable proactive accountability in this regard.
Shifting the focus to the role of AI in journalism, Olusola Oludiran, a journalist at the International Press Centre, noted that digitalisation fosters a greater audience reach, especially in investigative journalism. Additionally, he emphasised the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in investigative journalism. However, Oludiran underscored how AI-generated misinformation can spread propaganda in civil society, imploring participants to constantly fact-check information they come across in digital spaces.
On the matter of citizen agency, Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, Principal of The Dare Institute, highlighted the significance of transparency and effective communication between the government and its citizens, citing examples of Taiwanese and Estonian accountability infrastructure.
‘You can start where you are today as a citizen and decide to lead by building these platforms that other Nigerians can use,’ she urged.
She further emphasised how Nigeria’s success depends on collective action built on individual engagements.
Media Independence, Digital Responsibility
The panel session featured Femi Salawu, Head of Public Affairs and Media Relations at Temple Company and Taiwo Adebulu, the Features and Investigations Editor at TheCable. Francis Ohacho, the President of the Department of English, moderated the panel.
Commenting on the non-partisanship of media, Adebulu explained that although media organisations are supposed to be objective and unbiased, there is gatekeeping present in the field. Also, he advised aspiring investigative journalists to complete their undergraduate studies before venturing fully into the profession. This will help them avoid unnecessary power play in the institution.
Adding to this, Salawu reiterated the importance of digital protection like self-censorship. ‘Before you react to any post, remember that there are laws guiding cyberspace. If you’re not sensitive enough, you might post something that will put you in trouble.’
Awards Presentation
The Faculty Dean, Prof. Gbenga Fasiku, presented an award of recognition to the Commissioner of Transport, Osun State, Hon. Sesan Ephraim Oyedele, for his contributions to the success of the event. Together with the Vice Dean of the Faculty, Dr Oluwafemi Bamigbade, he also presented awards to Heads of Departments, invited guests and outstanding students in the faculty.
Reaction
Reflecting on the FASA Arts Conference, Daramola Taiwo, from the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, noted the dangers of AI, including the spread of misinformation and the creation of convincing fake content, while acknowledging that some people may misuse AI as an excuse to deny authentic evidence.
‘We must always be careful of what we do because we don’t know what AI is capable of doing next.’