ART IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

 The title of this article is the subject matter of a viable collaboration involving a number of stakeholders: Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Atrium Gallery), American Embassy - Abuja, Slick Studios & International Institute for Creative Development (IICD). The convening was the brainchild of the CEO of IICD and Slick Studios - Nduwhite Ahononu and Malik Afegbua, two young artistes making waves beyond Nigeria. They collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the American Embassy. 

The star of the show was Dr. Omoju Miller, multiple award winning American citizen of Nigerian descent. Omoju was the Keynote Speaker and Lead Facilitator at the Workshop. The Opening Ceremony was held at Arts Centre, opposite Radio House (26 February 2026) while the Workshop proper was held at 3, Kachia Close, Area 3, Garki, Abuja (27th February - 3rd March 2026). I was a valued participant, but not a member of the inaugural Cohort unveiled at the opening ceremony...

                                              Dr. Omoju Miller (Keynote Speaker/Lead Facilitator)

Some of the other speakers at the Opening Ceremony were: Minister of Foreign Affairs (Represented by Temitope Atiba, SA to Minister of Foreign Affairs); Public Diplomacy Counselor, US Embassy in Abuja - Lee McManis and Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA - Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi.

Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented by Temitope Atiba, SA on Policy & Special Duties): AI is often tied to the originality of expression. AI is not a replacement for creativity. We should democratise access to cultural exchange. We lay emphasis on AI proficiency in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We have an AI Unit. AI is a viable catalyst for responsible advancement. In the Ministry, we use AI in tandem with the 4Ds foreign policy of Nigeria - Democracy, Development, Demography & Diaspora. Cultural diplomacy builds understanding beyond the negotiation table. The Atrium Gallery of the Ministry will make the product of this workshop available to the public. Technology should advance creativity rather than diminish it. Tech may accelerate our world, but wisdom must guide it...

Lee McManis (Public Diplomacy Counsellor, US Embassy, Abuja): I am delighted to welcome Omoju Miller to Nigeria. She is a US citizen and the US government sponsored her trip to Abuja. Omoju is one of the most promising technology and AI experts through time. AI is now used in national security, medicine, peace & conflict studies, etc. American AI Tech is the gold standard world wide. The US has at least $700b available for AI infrasructure in 2026 alone. In October 2025, there was Open AI at the University of Lagos where the US Embassy collaborated with Fate Foundation. The African Action Plan & AI Diplomacy/Security were formulated there. This conference is about opportunity - specifically how the US and Nigeria can use AI and indeed Robotics for good...

Dr. Omoju Miller (US based AI Expert/Computer Scientist/Google, Microsoft & AMALL Consultant/Keynote Speaker/Lead Facilitator): I am the Founder of FIMIO, berthed 3 years ago. It's time to tackle the twin evils of fraud and coordination problems in Web 3. And to do that, we have raised $2.195m with https://lnkd.in/eU-8Jehx, The House Fund, Redpoint Labs, Protocol Labs and some dream angels like Nat Friedman and Stephanie Shear...Read more here - https://lnkd.in/ep53hpu3 (Credit: Dr. Omoju Miller's LinkedIn page/profile)...

Permissionless systems change the world. Nigeria is quite advanced in the Open Source/Software Data arena. We invited all Open Source users to Lagos last year, and this eventually led to the acquisition of PayStack. Here's a short history of creative tools. The Printing Press produced books since 1440. Then came the Camera, leading to questions like: 'Is AI-generated art real art?'. Inspite of the camera, paintings didn't die.

For Digital Tools Synthesis, The Bronx descendants from Nigeria used anything and everything to create music. Beginning of Afrobeat and Reggae? Then came Desktop Publishing. AI is the current revolution. Is AI coming for my job as a Film-maker, Designer, Musician, etc? For Script Writers, for example, AI is useful for Voice Reading. Use ChatGPT, ChatCloud, etc. Load the backgroung of all your characters and let translators of how to use tools like Omoju Miller do the analysis. AI is your creative partner not your replacement. Note that Nigeria's creative space is exploding - The glamour of Met Gala was superseded by AMVCA.

AI enables Rapid Phototyping, Production Scaling and Style Exploration while removing drudgery. Just imagine if Wakanda was real, what would it have looked like? AI elicits Brainstorming Partners, Structural Editing, Research Acceleration, Adaptation Sonic Exploration, Sound Track, Post Production Power, Distribution and Reach. There's a germane intersection of technology with creativity. AI allows you to see further and faster. With AI doing much of the routine work, the artiste has free time to compose more and produce better! What changes when co-creation gets ten times faster? There's more iteration, more ambition and indeed, more time for your art.

Now to the difficult questions. The fears are real: Theft of style, Loss of meaning, Race to the bottom and Homogenisation. What about the irreplaceable human element? There are things AI cannot do like having taste, meaning something, knowing your audience, taking creative risks and feeling your work. Art is like a connection to the artiste's spirit/soul - know your audience. You should navigate AI responsibly and responsively. 

Some creative forms did not exist before AI - Interactive narratives: stories that adapt to each other; Generative art; Cross model creation and Hyper-sense. Before AI, we only had Ideation, Photocopying, Iteration, Production and Distribution. The myth of the born creative is not necessarily true. Creative mastery comes ffrom deliberate practice, exposure to diverse influences and the willingness to iterate. AI does not replace creative talent, it removes the friction. 

There were questions about copyright and originality in the use of AI. Omoju's response was that licensing would solve that problem. For example, creatives can license their products as: Open Source Software, MIT Licence, Creative Commerce Licence, etc

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa (Participant, not member of Inaugural Cohort /Writer of this Blog Post/ Retiree/Gender & Conflict Transformation Consultant): There was an interlude when Dr. Omoju Miller and Lee McManis left and the compere asked for interventions rom the floor. I stated clearly why I was there: As a 68 year old retiree still actively engaged Consultancy, Training of Trainers, Public Speaking, Engaged as a Chartered Mediator, etc. I am paticularly interested in leveraging AI to enhance my output. Older persons still actively engaged in the creative space should be given their flowers by creating at least a small segment of this kind of engagement to address their concerns. I've learnt so much here today that I couldn't have been anywhere better. I hope future conferences on AI would take our needs into consideration...Please check out my earlier Blogpost titled 'Artificial Intelligence and Africa' via this link - dayokusa.blogspot.com/2018/08/artificial-intelligence-ai-africa.html

Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat - FCTA): Before AI was HI (Human Intelligence) and EI (Emotional Intelligence). There's inter-model and inter-connectivity. 'Niger no dey carry last' (Nigerians are always at the fore-front, numero uno in many fields). We have many original stories like 'Tales by Moonlight', etc. But as Mandate Secretary, WAS-FCTA, I'm particularly interested in the Art of Feminity in AI. The Art of Feminity entails various aspects of the feminine form - themes of nature, nurturing, female elders as 'super models' on the catwalk. There's an intersection of the feminine AI and the feminity of AI.

Working with women as I do, is working with the community. Human input into AI makes the latter learn about our history, art, heart/soul and values. We should give women a bigger 'corset space'. If women are absent from rooms where AI is being discussed, something vital is missing. AI is not not just an evolving concept, it's a revolution in the making...

R-L: Nduwhite Ahononu (Co-Convener of Conference), Dr. Omoju Miller (Founder FIMIO Inc/Keynote Speaker/Lead Facilitator), Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (Mandate Secretary WAS-FCTA), Dr. Taiye Jasper (PA to MS-WAS FCTA)

Ahmed Bashiru Sodangi (DG National Gallery of Art): Technology plays a role in shaping artistic legacy. Accelerated ideation via AI helps artistes overcome writer's block. AI is the future of mankind. STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics says it all. The Arts are firmly embeded in there! AI has replaced stunts. Art is a moment captured in eternity. Mona Lisa took nine years to paint. AI has re-constructed it in probably a few minutes or seconds. AI actually restores torn canvass. 

AI has been described as the microwave industry. If the artiste can visualise it, AI can do the finishing, AI accelerates production and reduces cost. AI refines high-targeted, data-driven advertising platforms. AI and technological innovation must co-exist. Every creative must embrace creative technology, including AI...

Hon. Simi Fajemirokun (SSA to Minister of Foreign Affairs represented): Technology is changing how we work. AI is a powerful equaliser. AI prototype is indeed very fast. What happens to authroship when a machine can do most of the work? Traditional forms of art seem to be more visible in the age of AI - the artiste has more free time to 'perfect' his/her art because AI is available to do the repetitive part. The opportunity for us is collaboration. Politicians, cultural diplomats and indeed nations tell their stories and AI can aid them. Art has always evolved with technology, AI is just the next chapter...

Obi Asika (DG National Council for Arts & Culture - NCAC): I came along with Tobe and Bethia who are our Cultural Ambassadors at NCAC. There's an intersection of Art and Technology. We set up the Council for Creative Technology, which comprises eleven members. There's also the National AI Institute. Creative expression is limitless. AI is not just about tech, it's about civilisation. AI entails the re-telling and re-framing of our history. Remember that AI is not magic, it's artificial memory - garbage in, garbage out.

Our DNA as Nigerians is 98% the same. We need to bring more of our perspectives together via AI. For example, we are leveraging on 'Origins', 'Detty December' and 'Niger Season' for our Unity Campaign. We know for example, that Oredo (Edo state) is the final burial place of the Queen of Sheeba! We need to un-earth more of such 'facts'...

The Opening Ceremony and the hands-on Workshop for the Pioneer Cohort were quite engaging. We look forward to the next steps...

  

NIGERIA's 3RD NAP (NATIONAL ACTION PLAN) ON UNSCR 1325

 On the 15th of December 2025, Nigeria's 3rd National Action Plan (NAP) on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 was launched at the Banquet Hall, State House, FCT-Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with UN Women (Nigeria), German Cooperation, Norwegian Embassy and Strengthening Peace & Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING). I was there live! Why is the 3rd NAP necessary? So much water has passed under the bridge in Nigeria since the implementation of the 1st and 2nd NAPs. The following have intensified: terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, criminality, rape, etc.The 1st and 2nd NAPs were launched in 2013 and 2017 respectively on the heels of UNSCR 1325 (2000) because a  major requirement of UNSCR 1325 is that State Parties should implement its provisions at Federal, State and Local Government (LG) levels. UNSCR 1325 acknowledges that armed conflict impacts women differently from men and demands protection for women...

 

R-L @ the entrance of the Banquet Hall - State House Abuja, venue of teh launch of the 3rd NAP: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (Mandate Secretary WAS-FCTA), A Gender Activist, Ms. Irene Awuna (President League of Women Voters), & Ms. Grace Awodu (Gender Activist/Head of Programmes - League of Women Voters/Former Head of Gender Unit - IPCR)

Hon. Wosilat Ogbara (Chair, House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs): It's necessary and important to translate national programmes like the 3rd NAP to the grassroots. Any scheme that excludes wome is unsustainable. Can we continue to neglect half of our population - women? The answer is 'no'. Women and children bear a disproportionate burden of conflict. A plan without an implementation strategy is a broken promise. The House of Representatives Commitee on Women Affairs is committed to the NAPs. The National Assembly is likely to vote on the Reserved Seats Bill (HB 1349) this week. Lobbying for the passage of the Bill has intensified...Peace is not achieved by silence. Peace is built when justice prevails. Let the 3rd NAP become a living instrument. The task before us now is effective implementation. History will judge us by the lives we have changed...

Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo (Team Lead, SPRING): A lot of effort has been made by the UK government to support peace and stability in Nigeria. I commend the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the First Lady of Nigeria for the actualisation of the 3rd NAP. SPRING promotes the meaningful participation of women in peace processes and national development. We are committed to supporting the NAP's domestication and implementation. We are supporting at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.

Dr. Joseph Ochogwu (DG IPCR Represented by Ms. Susan Uwakwe - Gender Unit IPCR): The NAPs align with the President's Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA). We should always remember that women are at the centre of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. I bring you warm greetings from the DG, Dr Joseph Ochogwu...

Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi (Medical Doctor/Women's Health Activist/1st Nigerian to be elected President, Medical Women's International Association - MWIA): Violence against women in the private sphere is prevalent in Nigeria. We need to de-escalate this negative trend. We should remember that violence in the private sphere is a predictor of violence in the public sphere. In the analysis of at least 40 peace processes, the finding was that when women were involved in peace processes agreements are more likely to last more than 50 years! We all should be dedicated and accountable to WPS...

Ms. Bridget Taila (Nigeria Security & Civil Defense Corps - NSCDC): I bring you greetings from my Corps Commander. We need inclusive peace which would ultimately lead to safer communities.

Wata Saheed (Representative of UN Women/UNICEF): The challenges of incssant abduction and insurgency are addressed in the 3rd NAP. The ultimate test of our resolve to succeed in this endeavour would be in the successful implementation of the 3rd NAP at the Federal, State and Local Government levels. We need to localise the 3rd NAP in the 36 states and FCT. This would be another step towards Gender Equality and Women Empowerment...

Then came the Skit which emphasised the need to effectively involve women in peace processes, while protecting children and their mothers (indeed all women and girls) always. In the skit, there were actresses and actors representing the following: Minister of Women Affairs, a Major General, a Lawyer, a Chief and of course, women who came into their meeting to seek inclusion...

Mrs. Valita Bashir (DG Maryam Babangida Centre for Women Development - MBCWD): This is indeed a historic occasion for Nigerian women. As a Parastatal under the Ministry of Women Affairs, MBCWD would support all effort ensure resounding success for the 3rd NAP.

Peter Mancha (Representative UN Women/Presenter of the Overview of NAP): The NAP was adopted as the implementation arm of UNSCR (2000) in Party States. Conflict affects women disproportionately. Women have the potential to contribute to national security. The 1st NAP was in 2013 while the 2nd NAP was in 2017. There are 4 Pillars in WPS: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Relief/Recovery. Early Warning & Early Response (EWER) must be gender-sensitive. IDP camps do not need only bags of rice and other food items, the women in such places also need sanitary pads. The 1st and 2nd NAPs had some challenges: *lack of awareness *Limited political will *Weak coordination *Limited adoption of the multi-sectoral approach 

We note that the priority areas of the 3rd NAP align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and we are delighted that the Presidency has pledged full support for the programme. We have also got commitment from the Chief of Army Staff ((COAS) and the Leadership of the National Assembly (NASS). The 3 Consultants (experts) worked in the 6 geo-political zones. The multi-sectoral approach was developed.

Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (Minister of Women Affairs): The Dean of Commissioners of Women Affairs in Nigeria is duly acknowledged. Women should be able to claim ownership of the 3rd NAP via their LGAs. Today, we are standing at the threshold of history: 30 years since the Beijing Conference; 30 years since the establishment of the Ministry of Women Affairs and 25 years of navigating UNSCR 1325. As we already know, the 1st NAP was in 2013 while the 2nd was in 2017. The 3rd NAP is closely aligned to national and international realities. The President is passionate about social inclusion, human security and gender sensitivity. The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is transforming UNSCR 1325 into action. Inclusion normalises women being formidable players in all spheres, including spaces traditionally monopolised by men. We see women rising. Remember that this year we are celebrating 70 years of women in the Police Force (See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/nigeria-police-women-at-70.html)

R-L: Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (Mandate Secretary WAS-FCTA, Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi (Fmr. President MWIA), Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim ((Minister of Women Affairs & Social Development) & Dr. Princess Jumai Idonije (SSA Technical to Minister of Women Affairs & SD)

In the Committee on NAP 3, we are engaging: retired officers in the Armed Forces, Conflict Transformation Experts, etc. Lest we forget, there have been some institutional gains: *Traditional leaders have included more women in decision-making *Kudos to the 10th National Assembly for sponsoring the Reserved Seats Bill (See for example: dayokusa.blogspot.com/public-hearing-of-rsb-hb-1349-reserved.html) *Many Bank CEOs in Nigeria are women, etc. May NAP 3 plant sincere justice for Nigerian women. I am confident that the work we do today would ensure we hand over to our children a banner without stain. NAP 3 is born a week shy of Christmas 2025 - It's our Christmas gift to Nigerian women.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu (First Lady Represented by Wife of Deputy Senate President - Hajiya Laila Barau-Jibrin): I bring you greetings from the First Lady. A lot of work in the line of the implementation of NAP 3 is already being done via the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Chaired by the First Lady. I call on all State Governments to key into NAP 3. I hereby launch NAP 3...

My comment: There you have it, the 3rd NAP is successfully launched! I look forward to the painstaking implementation of the tenets of the programme at the National, State and Local Government levels...