By BOLARINWA AKANDE
A multimedia Ebola awareness campaign was launched on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, to help keep Nigerians safe and informed about the dreaded Ebola virus.
Tagged Lens on Ebola, the motion picture campaign leverages the power of traditional media, social media and entertainment to present clear, simple and actionable Ebola information.
With the slogan: “Stay calm, stay healthy. Get the facts, and share what you know”, the campaign seeks to support and partner with all efforts to stop Ebola.
The campaign is a series of video Public Service Announcements (PSAs) produced by one of Nigeria’s leading film directors, TundeKelani, using Nollywood star power to drive critical health messages.
The series features artistes such as Tonto Dikeh, Desmond Elliott, Femi Sowoolu, Yomi Fash-Lanso, SaniDanja, Joke Silva, Steve Onu “Yaw”, Kunle Afolayan, Toyin Aimaku, O.C. Ukeje, Bayo Bankole, Hallima Abubarka, Funky Mallam, Khabira Kafidipe, Seun Akindele, Gloria MBA, Sunex Chidiebube and Ricardo Agbor.
The Lens on Ebola campaign is collaboration between Kelani’s Mainframe Productions and other organizations like Nollywood Workshops, Co-Creation Hub Nigeria and Naija247Medic.
According to Kelani, the team came together to address the urgent and ongoing need in Nigeria for accurate information about Ebola. “We need all the support on dissemination to give our people accurate information and awareness on the dreaded Ebola disease now threatening the country,” he said.
In addition to video and radio PSAs, the campaign will include infographics to be distributed freely as posters and flyers by well-meaning citizens to their own social networks. Campaign PSAs and graphics have been produced in all relevant languages (English, Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo) and will be distributed for free – via web, TV, radio, and more.
Through the duration of the Lens on Ebola campaign, Naija247Medic will marshal their team of Nigerian medical practitioners to interact with and educate citizens on a range of digital platforms including email, Facebook, Twitter and through Blackberry Messaging Service. Through this means they will provide calm counsel to manage citizen’s reaction to Ebola.
Lens On Ebola also aims to drive traffic to the great resources that already exist, including Ebola Alert (https://www.ebolaalert.org/) and the Free Hotline 0800EbolaHelp. Lens On Ebola is open to any inquiries regarding partnership for distribution and amplification of the campaign.