DOPF Annual Retreat On Harnessing Artificial Intelligence Ends With Call On Publishers To Acknowledge Ethical Risks, Biases

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The 2025 annual retreat of the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) took place on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, with the induction of twelve new members into the Forum and a robust lecture/workshop session themed: "Harnessing Artificial intelligence For Communication, Governance and Development ".

The retreat, which is the major annual calendar event of the Forum, held at the conference hall of the State Ministry of information and brought together, online publishers, media scholars, and communication experts from across Delta State.

The new members were sworn in by the Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Shedrack Onitsha, who administered the oath of commitment to the inductees and underscored the responsibilities associated with joining the reputable body of online media professionals.

Welcoming them to the Forum, the Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Enebeli, urged the new member to uphold the ideals of the organisation and maintain the highest standards of digital journalism, even as he cautioned that membership should not be taken as a symbolic gesture but as an invitation to active participation and professional excellence in the state’s digital media space.

“Do not go home and sleep after joining this Forum because the membership of any website that remains inactive will be reviewed for necessary action.

"Do not use your platforms to attack people. Do not publish unverified reports. This is very important. We must work together to promote and grow DOPF", the Chairman told the new members.

Enebeli emphasized that ethical conduct and factual reporting remained the hallmark of credible online publishing, noting that DOPF would continue to sanction practices that undermined public trust or damaged the integrity of the profession.

In his remarks, the publisher of Eagle News Online and one-time Chairman of the NUJ, Delta State Council, Mr. Osita Biosa, who spoke on behalf of the other inductees, expressed gratitude to the Forum for having them join the body and pledged that they would contribute positively to strengthening the organization.

“For accommodating us, we will do the needful. We will promote DOPF across Delta State and uphold the standards expected of us", he said.

The retreat also featured two major lecture sessions led by industry experts; Mr. Philip Enu Nwossu and Prof. Presley Obukoadata.

Mr. Nwossu, in his presentation entitled: “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Public Communication and Governance in Nigeria", explored the growing influence of AI-driven systems on information dissemination, transparency, policy engagement, and citizens' participation, while Prof. Obukoadata focused on “Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Journalism, Media Practice and Civic Development”.

The University Don highlighted how AI tools were reshaping news production processes, enhancing investigative journalism, and expanding the frontiers of civic dialogue.

He, however, cautioned that while AI had come with enormous opportunities, publishers must be mindful of ethical risks, misinformation, and biases embedded in AI systems.

Breakout sessions followed the lectures, allowing participants to discuss practical ways Artificial Intelligence could be deployed to improve communication, governance, and development both in Delta State and Nigeria at large.
Members proposed collaborative strategies, including capacity-building workshops, AI-powered fact-checking tools, and frameworks for verifying digital content.

The induction/retreat ceremony ended with renewed commitment from both old and new members to uphold the values of responsible journalism and ensure that DOPF continued to serve as a model for credible online publishing in the state and beyond.

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