The #Smokefree Nollywood Skit launched by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) on May 12, 2022, came to an end yesterday in Lagos with the reward of winners with gifts and cash prizes.
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.
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. Three of them will go away with the advertised prizes of a laptop, a camera, and a phone while two will go home with consolation cash prizes.
At a press briefing yesterday, Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi said that “the #Smokefree Nollywood Skit Challenge is a reverse strategy. While the tobacco industry wants to capture the minds of the youth 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.”
Oluwafemi explained that 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 which ultimately protects them from the industry.
He added that the youths have a choice, and their choice is not to become replacement smokers.
Reiterating the goal of the challenge, Oluwafemi urge 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. He said that the introduction of ratings in movies with smoking scene in cases where historical accuracy is required is also important.
The #Smokefree Nollywood Skit Challenge is another creative youth initiative from CAPPA. In 2019 it also unveiled the TC Rap Challenge – a music competition targeted at creating awareness on enforcement of the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019. Fortunately, the winner of the TC Rap Challenge in 2019 is also here and will share some insights.