Coca-Cola Joins Red Foundation to Battle HIV with Music

Wyclef’s anti-HIV release to feature on Coke Studio Africa Season

Lagos, Nigeria; October 30, 2014: In support of global efforts to halt mother to child transmission of HIV in Africa, soft drink giant, The Coca-Cola Company, has joined forces with anti-HIV campaign group, RED Foundation, leveraging its unique entertainment platform, Coke Studio, to battle the scourge by raising awareness of the need to provide anti-retroviral drugs for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Brand Manager, Colas, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Olufemi Ashipa disclosed that legendary Haitian singer, songwriter and music producer, Wyclef Jean, an ambassador for Red Foundation, has recorded an African version of a HIV awareness song with Nigeria’s Chidinma, which would be used to increase HIV/AIDS awareness on the continent.

“Music transcends all barriers – age, language, distance, so it is a vital tool for delivering such an important message across a continent as diverse as Africa.” Ashipa said He further highlighted that the anti HIV hit-track would feature prominently on the final episode of Coke Studio Africa Season 2, during which a tag-line for downloading the song would be made available.

“Wyclef’s anti-HIV song, which features Chidinma and five other Coke Studio Season 2 artistes, will be played during the final episode of the series. We expect that both Wyclef and Chidinma would be available as we approach the season finale, so Nigerians can phone in during radio programmes to speak with them and also enter a fun lyrics contest to win free airtime” he added.

The partnership with RED Foundation further expands Coca-Cola’s interventions in the fight against HIV in Nigeria. Among other programmes, the company is a major funding partner of Friends Africa’s anti-HIV initiative which brings together football, movie and music celebrities to promote HIV awareness and mobilize community support against discrimination and stigmatization of persons living with HIV through a novelty football match tagged Superstars Play for Life. The match, a culmination of a week-long HIV HIV counselling and testing, is organized annually at the Campos Square on Lagos Island to commemorate the World AIDS Day.

Coke Studio, which berthed in Africa in 2013, has recorded a huge success in other parts of the world including the Middle East and Asia. The unique platform features a fresh fusion of artistes and music genres from all parts of the continent, creating a fresh, distinctly African sound with a contemporary appeal.

Youths Lounge with: IMMORTAL V

Lounge in this case is used figuratively. It is a platform where young people mingle with ideas, thoughts and words that will inspire them for exploits in Leadership and Nation Building. A place where young Leaders dare to stand out, making every moment of their lives count.
First, let us look at my idea of leadership: Leadership simply means convincing, directing, guiding and influencing other people; say a community, group or your peers to do what is right in order to achieve a common aim or goal. Leadership is service. It is accepting and taking responsibility.
Who then is a great Leader? One who is ready to inspire, sacrifice and serve those he is leading. A great Leader puts premium on the general interest, instead of personal interest. 
Over the years, there’s been this obnoxious ideology that Youths are the leaders of tomorrow. When will tomorrow come? At forty, a man is still dreaming to become a leader of tomorrow too bad. Leadership is not about holding a political office or being the Manager of a bank or MD of a high profile company. Ironically, most people we call Leaders, like; Governors, Senators among others are not Leaders. The hard truth is that only about 5% of the political office holders in Nigeria are Leaders. Leadership begins with your immediate sphere of contact. Start leading today. Many believe that Leaders are born and not made but that’s a big lie. Leaders can be made. Those who are born leaders and refuse to be trained can never become great Leaders. 

We spend a lot of time whining and grieving about the ugly things that go on everyday in our country especially how they affect us. The most we often do is complain or just pass the buck, yet there is no change. For many years, we face the same challenges because we have not identified the stakes so we can even dare to become stakeholders. Most pathetic is the fact that about 90% of the Youths in Nigeria have always been spectators. 
But it will shock you to know that a game can go on without the spectators. All that is required to start and end the game is the participators. Therefore, never again should you stand on the side of the ring. Get into the ring, become part of the game. Form part of the decision making body.
Let me use this great opportunity to assure you that there is hope for Nigeria and there’s going be a change. We have in us the power to rebuild our broken walls. If only we can make Nigeria a collective project. If only we can accept our responsibility to nation building. If only we can see ourselves as agents of the change, we so desire. No one is too small to cause a change. Be courageous, stand out of the evil crowd and make the difference. 
Nigeria can only be built by Nigerians. It’s up to us the Youths. Join hands and save our beloved Country. 

Task for the week: Get a correct copy of the National Anthem and Pledge. Say it, before you go to bed and in the morning before you set out for your daily. 
See you on the same page next week. Have a record-setting week ahead.  

Welcome to Emma eyaba's blog

Hi friends, trying to create a platform where we can get more personal and relate more effectively. I have been nursing this for a very long time now and I feel this is the right time. Don't just go yet cos it can only get better. Welcome to your month of ELEVATION!