Tinubu’s cloned voice and Pate’s sanitiser duty

When President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, he could not have conceived that artificial intelligence would eventually use him as the voice for motivational content aimed at Nigerian men. However, by Monday afternoon, my social media feed was inundated with videos captioned with phrases like "I for don give up but na Tinubu motivate me today" and "Monday motivation from the President."

These clips featured snippets of the President delivering deep quotes encouraging young men to strive for success and overcome poverty, all accompanied by a voiceover that remarkably mimicked his tone and cadence. One statement declared: "There's overnight success, but before you get to that night, you must learn how to cook concoction rice and drink garri with salt.

The root of evil is poverty..." Another said: "Do you think I, Akpabio, Wike, Atiku and the rest of us started hustling last night? If that's what you think, you've already failed. We had strategies. We had sleepless nights..." Despite the variations, many of these motivational clips prompted viewers to consider cheating to attain success.

While many commenters recognized the President was not the source of these quotes, my familiarity with his speeches allowed me to immediately discern that his voice had been cloned, either for nefarious or motivational purposes. The deeper question, however, remains: how many individuals can distinguish between Tinubu's genuine voice and this artificial replication?

In May, an audio clip falsely attributed to the President circulated online, later confirmed as AI-generated. Since then, the President's cloned voice has been used for motivational purposes. Tomorrow, it could be employed for more sinister purposes, such as announcing a state of emergency or the date of Nigeria's January 16 elections.

Nigeria lacks specific legislation addressing deepfakes, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warns that AI-generated videos and voice notes could compromise election integrity. The solution lies not in banning creativity or criminalizing satire, as oppressive regimes often resort to. Instead, we must establish clear regulations regarding deception.

For instance, any content utilizing a public official's voice should clearly indicate it is artificially generated. Europe's AI Act, effective since August 2, requires deepfakes to be labeled as artificially generated. Additionally, using a real person's voice for commercial purposes should necessitate their explicit consent. Recently, a parody account declared itself as an AI-generated imitation, which is permissible under free speech principles.

However, when a cloned voice masquerades as the President, it becomes fraudulent. If we had all day, I would delve into the more intriguing voiceovers that feature the President quoting Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. But today, I must address the pressing issue at hand. While the President's clone delivered motivational messages, his health minister was manning the entrance to the Council Chamber, tasked with Ebola duty.

On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council convened in an emergency session, its fifth since August. The administration's penchant for spontaneous state functions is evident; FEC meetings now occur roughly every other week. In comparison to his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who averaged around 44 sessions annually, Tinubu's frequency is staggering.

On at least two instances, ministers arrived at the chamber only for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to announce the meeting's cancellation, citing a promised new date. As the ministers entered the chamber on Wednesday, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, stood by the access door, clad in a white agbada and black cap.

He monitored security personnel as they administered hand sanitizer to all attendees. The situation was somewhat humorous given that Nigeria had recently imported its first Ebola case, confirmed on October 20, which had since been evacuated to Switzerland. Over 50 contacts remained under observation. Nonetheless, Prof. Pate's presence added a lighthearted touch to the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, playfully mocked the health ministry's vigilance, momentarily distracting from the crucial task at hand. Inside the chamber, the reunion was animated as ministers reminisced about work, family, and political happenings within their respective realms.