By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Five persons have emerged as winners of the #Smokefree Nollywood Skit Challenge.
The challenge which ended on Monday, September 5th in Lagos was organised by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
Announcing the winners, Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA said that the competition started on May 12, 2022, with the intention of involving youths in the 18–35-year bracket in our campaign on #Smokefree Nollywood.
The first place went to Ojo-Adebayo Peter who won a digital camera followed by 1st runner up, Popoola Isaac who went home with a laptop. Second runner up was Ilemobola Oluwasegun who won a mobile phone. Dale Godstime Osamuyimen and Shamage Karen got consolation cash prizes of N60,000 and N40,000 respectively.
Speaking in his address, Oluwafemi said, “As report after report have shown, the tobacco industry targets this same age bracket and even those far younger as replacement smokers.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), exposure to tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) promotes youth tobacco initiation and the tobacco industry has a long history of targeting young people with tobacco promotional activities, using themes of independence, class and risk-taking etc.
“In the Skit Challenge, contestants were expected to create a video of not more than two minutes and twenty seconds (2:20mins) with messages on the dangers of smoking and a call to action which is essentially to urge the Nigerian government to enforce the ban on Tobacco Advertising Promotion and Sponsorships (TAPS) with emphasis on the entertainment industry.
“A total of 126 entries were received at the end of the competition on June 30, 2022. This number had to be scrutinized by a team of experienced Panelists who scaled them down to the final five that we have here today.
“We must confess that arriving at the finals was a very rigorous process because we had ample entries with different captivating visuals and messages.”
He further explained that CAPPA intervention through the Skit Challenge is a reverse strategy.
“ While the tobacco industry wants to capture their minds and their lungs, we have decided instead to engage their creative abilities to spread anti-tobacco messages especially the need for the federal government to strictly enforcement the ban on TAPS.
“The same minds that the tobacco industry creatively manipulates to woo into smoking and addiction, have through the Challenge shown that they can use their time and talent for advocacy purpose which ultimately protects them from the industry. The youths have a choice, and their choice is not to become replacement smokers.
CAPPA also urged the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to enforce the ban on Tobacco Advertising Promotion and Sponsorships (TAPS) with emphasis on the movies and entertainment sector, Introduce ratings in movies with smoking scene in cases where historical accuracy is required and collaborate with regulatory bodies and all critical stakeholders including the professional bodies to rid smoking in Nollywood movies and the entertainment sector.