The Gatekeepers in the Age of the Fake: Shettima and Onaiyekan Task Editors on AI

ENUGU — At the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, two voices, from two very different estates, delivered the same warning.

Vice President Kashim Shettima and John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, urged Nigerian editors to strengthen professional journalism and verification systems as artificial intelligence introduces new complications for the credibility of information ahead of future elections.

The conference theme was “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.” Its sub-theme, more forensic, was the detection and debunking of AI-generated disinformation before, during and after elections.

Shettima, in his goodwill message, said artificial intelligence had made it possible to manufacture convincing falsehoods at unprecedented speed. The development, he argued, had made professional journalism more important, not less, because editors remained crucial gatekeepers between information and manipulation.

Citizens, the Vice President said, needed access to credible information to make meaningful choices at the ballot box. He described the media as the fourth estate because of its role in interrogating power, informing citizens, shaping public debate and preserving institutional memory.

Onaiyekan, in his keynote address, said the emergence of artificial intelligence had introduced new dangers into the communication environment.

Modern technology, he noted, could produce convincing synthetic voices, images and other forms of fabricated content capable of misleading citizens. The spread of such false information, he warned, could damage the ability of citizens to distinguish truth from fabrication.

He urged journalists to combine professional freedom with responsibility and professionalism in using the growing range of media technologies.

The media must remain committed to informing and educating citizens about the true state of the nation, Onaiyekan said. He stressed the importance of professional autonomy and urged journalists to resist pressures from those who fund or influence media organisations.

The Cardinal said the emergence of social media and artificial intelligence had significantly expanded the media environment, creating both opportunities and challenges that require greater knowledge and skill.

Shettima said the media’s role becomes even more consequential as Nigeria approaches another election cycle. He urged editors to continue scrutinising government while ensuring that public debate remained informed by credible information.

Onaiyekan similarly called for the media to use its relatively broad freedom responsibly and professionally to uphold and strengthen Nigerian democracy. He said the ultimate objective should be a democratic system in which leaders are freely chosen by citizens and governance serves the common good.

The conference brought together editors and other stakeholders to deliberate on the relationship between the ballot, media responsibility, democracy and emerging challenges in the information environment.