The lawmaker representing Oyo North senatorial district, Fatai Buhari has been awarded the Guillermo Cano Media Award by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Zone B.
Buhari, a third-term member of the red chamber, received the award for his contributions to press freedom and the growth of the media profession the during the World Press Freedom Day Lecture held at the NUJ Press Centre in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision to present the award to Buhari, the NUJ Vice President Zone B, Ronke Afebioye-Samo noted that the lawmaker received overwhelming support from the judges.
“We had five nominees for this award. We had to write to the national headquarters of the NUJ in Abuja to vet the nominees. And of all the nominees, today’s recipient received overwhelming support from journalists and members of the general public.
“To every individual that has crossed his path, he has remained a father and a friend,” she said.
Before receiving the award, Buhari, a guest speaker at the event, spoke on the theme: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and The Media.
In his lecture, he noted that one of the most alarming challenges posed by Al is the proliferation of false content, especially deepfakes, synthetic media generated using deep learning techniques that can convincingly mimic real individuals’ appearances and voices.
“These technologies have made it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and fabricated content, thereby eroding public trust in the media.
“A growing reliance on Al-generated content can dilute traditional editorial practices. Al systems often prioritize engagement metrics, such as click-through rates and viewer retention, over journalistic values like accuracy, context, and ethics. This shift can lead to sensationalism and the spread of half-truths,” Buhari, a 2027 gubernatorial hopeful, noted.
However, he urged news organizations in the country to develop clear ethical guidelines for AI use, noting that “these guidelines should be regularly reviewed and updated to keep pace with technological advancements.”
“Rather than replacing journalists, Al should be used to augment human capabilities. A collaborative approach ensures that editorial standards are upheld while benefiting from Al’s efficiency,” the former Chairman of the Senate committee of ICT added.
Earlier, in his keynote speech, the Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Prof. Rasaq Olatunde, analyzed the growing impact of digital technology, particularly AI, on media practice.
“AI is not inherently good or bad. It is a reflection of the values embedded in its design,” the Vice-Chancellor noted, adding that journalists must harness the potentials of AI to improve their reportage.
