Nigerian actress and film producer, Funke Akindele, popularly known as ‘Jenifa’, has been appointed National Goodwill Ambassador for HIV in Nigeria by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
The appointment of Jenifa was announced during the 2024 World AIDS Day (WAD) celebration on Tuesday.
The event, marked under the theme “Take the Rights Path: Sustain the HIV Response and Stop HIV Among Children to End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030.” was organized by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)
As the goodwill ambassador, Jenifa will be involved in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to treatment.
Speaking at the event, Dr Leo Zekeng, UNAIDS Country Representative, acknowledged the progress Nigeria has made in combating HIV over the past two decades.
He stressed the importance of sustaining efforts to meet the 2030 target of ending AIDS.
He also noted the need to strengthen advocacy for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) through collaboration with key stakeholders.
“Prevention is better than cure. UNAIDS, which serves as the secretariat for this initiative within the UN system under the leadership of our Resident Coordinator, has engaged ‘Jenifa’ (Funke Akindele) to work closely with NACA and other partners.”
Dr Leo Zekeng
He urged the newly appointed ambassador to champion campaigns aimed at reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, particularly among children, by 2030. He also assured her of support from other UN agencies.
Dr Iziaq Adekunle-Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, encouraged the ambassador and other influential Nigerians to use their platforms to amplify awareness about HIV prevention and treatment.
Dr Temitope Ilori, Director General of NACA, pledged the agency’s support, along with that of other partners, to help Nigeria achieve its goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
In her response, Funke Akindele expressed her commitment to intensifying efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, focusing on awareness, stigma reduction, and access to treatment.
She emphasized her dedication to addressing critical issues such as PMTCT and ensuring no child is born with HIV.
Akindele also pledged to collaborate with national and international organizations, including the Federal Government, to enhance public awareness through digital campaigns and foster partnerships among stakeholders.
“With hope and determination, I pledge to contribute meaningfully towards ending HIV/AIDS as a global health threat.”
Funke Akindele
Akindele noted the urgency of adopting a human rights-based approach to tackling the epidemic, particularly in Nigeria, where over 160,000 children are living with HIV.
World AIDS Day is observed globally on December 1 to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and to honor the lives affected by the epidemic.
Funke Disagrees With Twitter User
Nollywood actress and box office Queen, Funke Akindele has disagreed with a Twitter user who spoke out on her work ethic.
The tweep revealed how she gets inspired by the award-winning filmmaker. She stated that when she wants to rest, she remembers Funke is not resting and as such, continues her hustle.
Disagreeing with her, Funke stated that she takes some time off to rest well. “Na lie. I dey rest wella,” she said.
Many of her colleagues and fans disagreed with Funke as they concurred with the tweep.
Funke Akindele also broke the barriers of film promotion by releasing an original soundtrack to her upcoming film“Everybody Loves Jenifa” with Falz, D’Banj, and Waje and the movie’s cast.
The five-minute single titled “Everybody Loves Christmas” features Funke Akindele, Falz, Layi Wasabi, Chimezie Imo, Tope Tedela, Omotunde Adebowale-David, Bisola Aiyeola, Jide Kosoko, Omowunmi Dada, Juliana Olayode, Nancy Isime, and Waje.
The filmmaker has brought out all the guns to promote her new movie as she aims to exceed the success of her last film, “A Tribe Called Judah.”
“Everybody Loves Jenifa” is scheduled to be released on December 13 across all cinemas in Nigeria.
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