An investigative journalist, Tobore Ovuorie has produced documentaries to curtail HIV stigmatisation
Aimed at supporting Nigeria’s quest to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) three and four respectively, an investigative journalist, Ms. Tobore Ovuorie has produced nonfictional films on HIV.
The opening film is titled: ‘The Stigma’ scheduled for preview Thursday, April 18th, 2019 in Lagos at the Civic Hive, Montgomery Avenue, Yaba, Lagos.
The SDG target three is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, while the fourth goal targets inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
The films which are documentaries are birthed by a five-part investigative series on HIV in children of school age which Ms. Ovuorie carried out in 2018.
In the multimedia expose published August last year in The Nation Newspaper, she uncovered schools, parents and even fellow children stigmatising and discriminating against kids living with HIV. Undercover across seven states in Nigeria, Ms. Ovuorie uncovered schools denying children living with HIV their fundamental human right of access to education. This, when not curtailed, could shortchange Nigeria fully attaining SDG 4.
Ms. Ovuorie who produced all films and directed two out of the lot, says “the films are various forms of documentaries such as docu-story, docu-drama, amongst others.”
All films were shot with topnotch cinematographic technologies, such as drones, by Mr. Sammy Brado, a cinematographer with eyes for details, while Mr. Oluwaseun Adeniyi directed some of them.
The event, a free-to-attend for everyone is from the stable of Tobore Ovuorie Productions and supported by HIV 360 degrees and Civic Hive.
Ms. Ovuorie says her works as a journalist and frequent interactions with persons living with HIV, inspired her to produce the films aimed at using creative arts to put an end to stigmatisation of persons living with the virus, including nipping in the bud schools denying kids with HIV access to education.
“Stigmatisation of people living with HIV is still huge and the level of sensitisation efforts being made to make this cease needs to be increased. People living with HIV are human beings; schools should stop denying children living with HIV admission into their schools, neither should they send them packing.
“They deserve the right to education. It is criminal in Nigeria, it is against the rule of law and even the court of heaven frowns at such,” Ms. Ovuorie says.
Speaking ahead of the film preview which would showcase other films such as ‘Why?’ and ‘Why look at me?’ which is to hold at The Civic Hive, Montgomery Avenue, Yaba, Lagos, Ms. Ovuorie says “people living with HIV should not be discriminated against nor pushed away. They should be loved and cared for to enable them to live happy and longer lives,” she urged.
The freelance investigative journalist added that the affected persons should know centres where they can be treated.
“Nigerians should also know that there are different testing centres. They should first get tested, know their status and begin to take their medications if they test positive to the virus. The medications are still free, so go for therapy, followup on your CD4 count and live healthily. Before you know it, the virus will become undetectable,” she added.
The producer noted that the government is trying its best but can’t do everything. She urged that persons, NGOs and corporate organisations should also invest in sensitisation and funding treatment for HIV victims. “We can’t leave everything to them, we should also play our roles too,” says Tobore.
