Nigerian playwright, novelist and film director, Biyi Bandele, the Director-General, NACA, Prof. John Idoko, and a host of celebrities were among the people who welcomed the season three of the television drama series titled, Shuga, to Nigeria during the week.
Produced by MTV Base and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDs, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and United Nations Population Fund, the award-winning TV series was premiered at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos on Tuesday.
The production, which had it first two editions set in Nairobi, Kenya, is also a multimedia campaign designed to tackle the lack of awareness and misinformation about HIV/AIDS, sexual responsibility and teen pregnancy among Nigerian youth.
Written by a team of seasoned scriptwriters and directed by Bandele, Shuga featured a talented cast brimming with youth, passion and experience. They include Okezie Morro, Ikubese Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu, Maria Okanrende, Nick Mutuma, Dorcas Shola Fapson, Leonora Okine, Sharon Ezeamaka, Timini Egbuson, Kachi Nnochiri, Olumide Oworu, Sani Mu’azu and KC Ejelonu. It also featured notable names such as Tiwa Savage and Chris Attoh. Ice Prince and Iyanya also made cameo appearances in the series.
At the end of the event, the audience gave the cast a well-deserved ovation.
Beyond entertainment, Bandele hoped that the Nigerian edition of the series would get people talking about the real issues surrounding the HIV/AIDS scourge.
“There are millions of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. But when you talk to the average Nigerian, they say, ‘Oh, we don’t have that problem here’. They seem not to realise this figure actually represents a lot of people. People don’t want to talk about HIV/AIDS because it means talking about sex in a serious and not jocular way. But we need to do that. It is a scourge that is stoppable, I hope Shuga goes some way to start that process,” Bandele said.
For Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Shuga is more about the message than the entertainment. “It’s about good and safe sexual health practices. There are so many different elements to it, including messages around domestic violence. What we have done with Shuga is to give the audience information, it’s up to them to choose how they live their lives and respond to it,” she said.
According to Arnold, the series, which will be broadcast to 52 territories in sub-Saharan African on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) is expected to reach nearly 550 million households around the world via over 60 broadcast channels and 12 online video on demand websites.
“We hope it will make a huge impact in Nigeria and around the world. We are also working with the Nigerian government, through NACA, in achieving this when the broadcast kicks off,” she added.
Iyanya, who played a cameo role, said the series would reach out to the youths in this generations. While up-and-coming actor Oworu, who played the role of Weki in the series, described his role as challenging and a good learning experience. “It made me realise the alarming rate of HIV and the fact that there is no need for the stigma,” he said. The theme song for the series, Sweet Like Shuga, was written and produced by Del B, in collaboration with Nigerian artistes Flavour, Sound Sultan, Chidinma, Kcee and South African kwaito star, Professor.
Credit: PUNCH
Produced by MTV Base and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDs, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and United Nations Population Fund, the award-winning TV series was premiered at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos on Tuesday.
The production, which had it first two editions set in Nairobi, Kenya, is also a multimedia campaign designed to tackle the lack of awareness and misinformation about HIV/AIDS, sexual responsibility and teen pregnancy among Nigerian youth.
Written by a team of seasoned scriptwriters and directed by Bandele, Shuga featured a talented cast brimming with youth, passion and experience. They include Okezie Morro, Ikubese Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu, Maria Okanrende, Nick Mutuma, Dorcas Shola Fapson, Leonora Okine, Sharon Ezeamaka, Timini Egbuson, Kachi Nnochiri, Olumide Oworu, Sani Mu’azu and KC Ejelonu. It also featured notable names such as Tiwa Savage and Chris Attoh. Ice Prince and Iyanya also made cameo appearances in the series.
At the end of the event, the audience gave the cast a well-deserved ovation.
Beyond entertainment, Bandele hoped that the Nigerian edition of the series would get people talking about the real issues surrounding the HIV/AIDS scourge.
“There are millions of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. But when you talk to the average Nigerian, they say, ‘Oh, we don’t have that problem here’. They seem not to realise this figure actually represents a lot of people. People don’t want to talk about HIV/AIDS because it means talking about sex in a serious and not jocular way. But we need to do that. It is a scourge that is stoppable, I hope Shuga goes some way to start that process,” Bandele said.
For Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Shuga is more about the message than the entertainment. “It’s about good and safe sexual health practices. There are so many different elements to it, including messages around domestic violence. What we have done with Shuga is to give the audience information, it’s up to them to choose how they live their lives and respond to it,” she said.
According to Arnold, the series, which will be broadcast to 52 territories in sub-Saharan African on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) is expected to reach nearly 550 million households around the world via over 60 broadcast channels and 12 online video on demand websites.
“We hope it will make a huge impact in Nigeria and around the world. We are also working with the Nigerian government, through NACA, in achieving this when the broadcast kicks off,” she added.
Iyanya, who played a cameo role, said the series would reach out to the youths in this generations. While up-and-coming actor Oworu, who played the role of Weki in the series, described his role as challenging and a good learning experience. “It made me realise the alarming rate of HIV and the fact that there is no need for the stigma,” he said. The theme song for the series, Sweet Like Shuga, was written and produced by Del B, in collaboration with Nigerian artistes Flavour, Sound Sultan, Chidinma, Kcee and South African kwaito star, Professor.
Credit: PUNCH
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