It is my plan to use the power of media art to push the agenda of the anti-SGBV movement while promoting the narrative that encourages victims to speak up.
– Blue Adekunle (Winner, Young Voices Against SGBV Award)
Meet our Anti-SGBV Ambassadors! These young creatives, who were selected out of other entrants to the Young Voices Against SGBV Competition, have committed to using their creative art forms to fight sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in our society. Find out more about them below.
1. Blue Adekunle
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am an artist and Film Director. I studied Creative Art at the University of Lagos, where I majored in directing and production design. I am highly motivated by the craft of story-telling, using creative and innovative audiovisual language to tackle relevant issues and topics to provoke positive change. I am passionate about creating contents that pour light on the SGBV issues, with the aim to fashion a safe and healthy society for women and girls. One cannot overemphasise the importance of such topics, and creating more art that pushes the agenda is a step towards victory. A journey Blue has started and hopes to continue.
What is the main message in your video?
“Safer Outside” is an audio-visual piece that highlights the relevant subject of gender-based violence, while pushing the narrative to encourage victims to speak up and seek help. It portrays the realities of victims of domestic violence amid coronavirus and in most African homes.
As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, how do you intend to join the fight against SGBV?
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, it is my plan to use the power of media art to push the agenda of the anti-SGBV movement while promoting the narrative that encourages victims to speak up. It is no more news that it is the culture of silence and victim stigmatisation that worsens this devastating problem. People need thorough education on this matter and I believe audio-visual art is a strong tool. I will move to use art to mirror the issue from any angle, placing it in a position to serve as a voice for the voiceless. This platform will be a great opportunity for me and I can’t wait to partner with your organisation and join the fight against GBV.
Blue Adekunle’s video can be found on https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWxmfXRgJ3v/.
2. Precious Akande
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am an entrepreneur-CEO baked mind, who is passionate about helping others. I am also a language enthusiast. Gender-based violence (GBV) is the biggest pandemic of all; so many disheartening issues all around the world yet no change. I’m passionate about SGBV because I want a change. In what form can we have change? I propose capital punishment breaking the bars of SGBV. I also believe that we as the younger generation can bring about change if we agree together and proffer a lasting solution. I’ve decided to join the fight, being a voice for the voiceless. SGBV must stop!
What is the main message in your video?
The piece is titled “We are the Vaccine”. We say, “We are tired of this gender-based violence and in need of a vaccine to eradicate this widespread sexual and gender-based violence”. We say, “We await scientists and medical experts to create a new vaccine”. Little do we know that we are the vaccine. Our voice so powerful, we underestimate its power. Our actions, a wrecking ball breaking the walls of violence. We have to activate the vaccine, join our voices and actions together for the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence in the world.
As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, how do you intend to join the fight against SGBV?
As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, I will continue creating awareness right from my environment, educating people about gender violence, silencing critics and threats made to victims who try to speak up. Whether we like it or not, awareness starts by educating families in our surroundings who breed violence and gender inequality in their homes; because families make communities, communities build society, society builds a nation, and no nation can develop without the participation of each of its healthy citizens.
I will further join hands with organisations creating awareness in schools, especially rural areas, churches, and institutions. I will also organise conferences because it is important to make people aware – the more information people have about healthy and unhealthy relationships, the better off we will be at keeping people safe and encouraging people to speak up when they are violated.
Awareness will also be achieved using social media, sharing graphics, poems, and spoken word promoting the fight against SGBV, encouraging people to join the fight and tackle accepted behaviours that allow gender-based violence to flourish.
I will also join hands with health organisations to create a safe place for survivors and encourage survivors of SGBV to voice out and feel safe while respecting their privacy and keeping their stories confidential unless they choose to encourage people through their stories.
I will provide counselling and give them the support they need, organise outreaches within villages to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence, partner with violence survivors, advocates, activists and also health organisers, thereby educating the masses in rural areas, listening to their stories and also providing clinical services to ensure people are not neglected.
Precious Akande’s video can be found on https://www.instagram.com/tv/CW1KrOnomTk/.
3. Hafsat Abdullahi
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a 300 level student of Ahmadu Bello University. I am a Writer, an Award Winning Spokenword Artiste, a Fashion Designer, and a Model. I have won many contests in 2021, which include emerging as overall Spoken Poetry Contest Winner at both the Abuja Literary Society Grand Slam and the Association of Nigerian Authors Slam. I also won the Fashion Killer of the Year in the contest organised by Indigo Fashion and Teen County Africa; I was awarded Tuition Scholarship at HIASFEST. I emerged Finalist at an Oratory Competition organised by We Inspire Africa in Lagos. In 2017, I came overall Winner in the Nigerian Festival of Teen Artist Contest.
I have worked with Handz Media in collaboration with the Northern Governors’ Wives of Nigeria led by the First Lady of Nigeria to campaign for the fight against SGBV. I have volunteered for many fuctional platforms including, TEDx ABU, TEDx Minna, Hilltop Creative Art Foundation, ABUFEST, ANA, ENACTUS, to mention a few. I have worked with Just Art animation as a voiceover Artist. I am currently doing voiceover for CameraboyTV in collaboration with Greywolf Empire. I have been featured in DailyTrust Newspaper, The Tanzanian Article, The Art MuseFair, For Creative Girls, Splendor of Dawn Poetry Channel, Literature Voices (LitVo) to mention but a few.
What is the main message in your video?
A call to action. It exposes the fact that these oppressors are regular everyday people who hide behind closed doors to commit their hideous crimes.
As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, how do you intend to join the fight against SGBV?
I have a very powerful and commanding artistic voice. I have published a lot of creative poetry videos on this topic. As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, I will utilise this opportunity to explore creative and colourful ways I can catch the attention of victims and the general public. Change starts when we get people talking. So I say, give me a stage, I implore you!
Hafsat Abdullahi’s video can be found on https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQl_jxKjI0d/.
4. Oluwafunke Ajoba
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Oluwafunke Ajoba. I am a Psychologist, currently holding Certifications from Yale University and Stanford University. I am the Founder of Echoes Foundation, a not-for-profit that renders therapy sessions and resources for change to victims/survivors of sexual abuse. I function as an Adult Advisor for UNF advocacy program, Girl Up; The Lagos Chapter. I work cooperatively with girls ages 16-22 to enable them maximise their potential with skills and mental rehabilitation. I write and also produce short documentaries on traditional practices and modern day stories of love, hurt and toxicity. My work is centered around gender-based violence and life happenings. However, it is not limited to the female gender, even though they are mostly on the receiving end.
Sexual and gender-based violence has a long lasting effect that most victims stay in denial of. This continues to harm them and might limit them to not identifying their purpose. As a person, I am very particular about individuals identifying with purpose and self-healing. That’s why over the years, I have worked with individuals and organisations to make a noticeable difference from stories, outreaches, and rendering resources, just so more people are repaired and from there, they desire to rebuild not just themselves, but a broken generation. For everything I do as regards SGBV, it is in hope that we would one day have a safer world, with less hurting people.
What is the main message in your video?
My team and I have taken a stance against female genital mutilation by creating awareness about the effects and filling the gaps to share stories of affected victims.
As an Anti-SGBV Ambassador, how do you intend to join the fight against SGBV?
I intend to make a change by motioning in interactive outreaches to engage members of the public, hence creating awareness, breaking myths and offering mental rehabilitation.
Oluwafunke Ajoba’s video can be found on https://youtu.be/Nf8lPKcYcJA.
