From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
In a renewed effort to promote digital literacy, ethical communication, and media integrity among public officers, Esanad Consult Ltd., in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Kwara State Office, recently held a Train-the-Trainers Workshop, titled “Combat Fake News and AI-Generated Content with the Esanad Framework.”
The capacity-building session, hosted by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kwara State Directorate, featured lectures and practical case studies, designed to equip participants with skills for detecting, verifying, and countering misinformation and AI-generated content in their professional and community engagements.
Delivering the lead paper, Babaijo Otepola, a member of the Esanad Board of Advisory and retired Deputy Director (Planning, Research, Strategy, and Civic Intelligence Gathering) at NOA, explained how Esanad Consult is adapting the Isnad principle—verification, trust-building, and accountability—into modern tools for addressing contemporary information and governance challenges.
He charged participants to apply the lessons from the training to strengthen fact-checking processes and uphold truth in an age of digital falsehoods.
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Otepola also highlighted Esanad’s collaboration with the NPC, urging attendees to use the knowledge gained to enhance institutional communication and productivity.
“Today’s Train-the-Trainers workshop for NOA marks the beginning of endless learning opportunities that will extend to other NOA offices, as well as federal and state MDAs, for a better and more secure Nigeria,” he said.
In another session, Mr. Ridwan Bolaji, Project Manager at Esanad Academy, presented an overview of fake news and AI-generated content, helping participants differentiate between misinformation, disinformation, and synthetic media.
Delivering the core lecture, Mr. Ganiyu Opeyemi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Esanad Consult Ltd., explained that the training was organised under Esanad Academy, the research and capacity-building arm of the company.
He noted that NOA was chosen because of its national mandate to promote truthful communication, civic awareness, and orientation—values that align with Esanad’s mission of fostering a culture of verified information and ethical digital engagement.
Opeyemi introduced participants to the Esanad Framework, a structured verification model inspired by the Isnad principle—the chain of transmission used in Hadith authentication—and demonstrated its application in tracing, assessing, and validating information sources in the digital space.
In a complementary session, Barrister Nurudeen Olanrewaju, Court Registrar at the Court of Appeal and consultant to Esanad Consult, shared legal insights on the implications of spreading false information under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
He cited relevant sections prescribing penalties for individuals or organisations that intentionally create or circulate false information, warning that offenders risk fines, imprisonment, or both.
He therefore urged participants to uphold truthfulness and accountability in their digital engagements, using the Esanad Framework as a preventive tool to comply with national laws and ethical standards.
The State Coordinator of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Kwara State Office, also encouraged participants to embrace productivity and integrity in communication, describing fake news and information disorder as serious threats to national productivity.
He commended Esanad Consult for the initiative, describing the Esanad Framework as a valuable tool for improving accuracy and performance in government agencies.
Speaking on the relevance of the training, the Director, NOA Kwara State Directorate, Alhaji Dare Abdulganiyu, said the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has intensified global concerns about information authenticity.
He commended Esanad Consult for the initiative, noting that the workshop would enhance NOA officers’ critical thinking and fact-checking abilities.
“As information managers, you will always need this type of training. I urge you to digest the knowledge gained here and translate it into action,” Abdulganiyu advised.
In an interview, Mr. Yaqob Abubakar, Head of Planning, Research, and Strategy (NOA, Kwara State), described the training as “wonderful and impactful,” noting that it would better prepare NOA staff to combat fake news and misinformation, especially ahead of the electioneering period.
Esanad Consult Ltd. is an Ilorin-based research, training, and consulting firm that develops fact-checking and verification systems inspired by Islamic epistemology—particularly the Isnad principle.
