Actor Emmanuel Ikubese tackles the myths and stigma of sickle cell anemia in his new film and project Mzigo

Actor-turned-filmmaker Emmanuel Ikubese has taken significant steps to tackle sickle cell disease through a new initiative, the Mzigo project and its accompanying film.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects approximately five percent of the world’s population.

Ikubese’s Mzigo project is not just an initiative but a powerful force addressing the burden of sickle cell anemia through media engagements.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ikubese revealed that he is raising awareness about sickle cell anemia and inspiring hope within the disease community.

He blamed lack of awareness for the high prevalence of the disease in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, and stressed the critical need for more awareness campaigns.

He said: “The Mzigo project is a multimedia campaign to raise awareness about sickle cell disease in Nigeria and across Africa. Through creative storytelling and various initiatives, it seeks to bring sickle cell disease to mainstream media and inspire hope within the sickle cell community. Anyone who knows me understands that I have been deeply passionate about establishing my brand throughout my career. My goal is to use my platform to highlight social issues.

“For example, when I launched the Emmanuel Ikubese Foundation, our initial project, RAW (Respect Women), focused on raising awareness about domestic and gender-based violence. We leveraged the media and enlisted the support of industry colleagues to bring these issues into the mainstream. Today, they are one of the most discussed topics, even at the UN. This evolution was not planned, but arose from my lack of awareness, particularly regarding sickle cell anaemia, where I realised I had contributed to the problem.”

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Leveraging his international platform, Ikubese, who represented Nigeria at the Mr World 2014 pageant and emerged as first runner-up, revealed that he has produced a film to further raise awareness about the disease.

The film is based on Ikubese’s debut book, which delves into the complexities of sickle cell anemia.

The film features a pan-African cast including notable actors such as Daniel Etim Effiong, Seun Ajayi and Tanzanian star Elizabeth Michael.

“The film is in post-production. Our goal is to launch it in September. The plan for this initiative is to keep the conversation about sickle cell anemia in mainstream media throughout the year. That’s the whole idea. We showed up to RAW in February, focusing on love and raising awareness. We also aim to help people living with sickle cell anemia by enrolling them in HMOs, which are health insurance plans.

“Especially in low-income areas. For the past two years, we have participated in the Lagos City Marathon and raised millions of naira to fund HMO coverage. We are focusing on the Sing for Sickle Cell Warrior Challenge, which we launched on World Sickle Cell Day. It is important to use music as a tool to raise awareness and inspire hope in the sickle cell community. Other initiatives, such as a blood donation campaign, will be launched later. Additionally, we have a book and other projects to bring the conversation about sickle cell anemia to the mainstream media.”

Defense Sustainability

Ikubese, who rose to prominence after being crowned Mr. Nigeria in 2014, decried the limited government support for sickle cell awareness initiatives and highlighted the heavy burden (financial and logistical) that falls on the organisers.

Ikubese admitted that he relied on the generosity of friends and his own funds to keep the initiative afloat. He explained how he skillfully integrated the initiative into his schedule, even while juggling his creative pursuits, such as filmmaking.

“The reason these projects struggle to sustain themselves is not due to a lack of desire to continue them. For example, at Project RAW (Respect A Woman), we made a film called *Blackout*, and then in 2018, I made a TV series in Uganda, which raised awareness not only about domestic violence but also sexual abuse, rape, HIV/AIDS and other causes. As a filmmaker, many of my topics revolve around shedding light on issues that are often swept under the rug.

“As I said, having this conversation moved me deeply. Seeing my ignorance, I thought: if I ignore something, then it is probably significant. I started asking questions and realized that many people shared my ignorance. I feel like sickle cell anemia is one of those problems. For example, out of every five people, if you ask a few people about it, you’ll probably find three or four who know someone, maybe not a close family member, but a distant relative or friend, who has had to deal with anemia. falciform”. he added she.

Ikubese said that despite the challenges of creating a sustainable project, he is determined to use his creativity to raise awareness about sickle cell anemia in mainstream media.

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“So it’s not just for attention; It’s what I want, and you’ll always see me do it for the next 10 to 20 years. When we were in elementary and middle school, terms like “sickle” were commonly used, revealing our complicity in perpetuating harmful stereotypes against the sickle community.

“In 2020, a friend who suffered from sickle cell disease opened my eyes to this reality. Shortly after, I tragically lost a cousin to the disease – a poignant reminder to amplify my voice and use my resources (media and industry connections) to advocate for change in mainstream media.”

Sing for the Sickle Warrior Challenge

Ikubese said the need to raise awareness about sickle cell disease led him to create the Sing for Sickle Cell Warrior Challenge (SSCWC).

“We made a song written by an artist, Neon Adejo. The song features IB QUAKE, a spoken word artist, and we used it to inspire people on World Sickle Cell Day. With the challenge, we encouraged people to create their own interpretations of the song.

“Whether it’s spoken word, rap, or singing, just do your verse. Two things are important: be creative, and make sure you’re singing about sickle cell disease. You need to do your research. We also offer a lot of resources with information and facts about sickle cell disease on our pages so people can use them creatively to create their performances.”

She said SSCWC participants are not limited to sickle cell patients, noting that the competition will begin on July 1 and end in September, which is Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

Ikubese said judges will select winners in September, while the challenge will conclude on August 30.

“The idea is to bring these things to spaces where I couldn’t reach my followers. IB QUAKE wouldn’t understand it. Neon would only go to some of the blogs. But you, as an individual, have only 5,000 followers. You have your reach. And with that reach, you can inspire someone there. You can inspire someone to know more about sickle cell and encourage a sickle cell warrior who may not be able to reach us even if we have 5 million followers,” he noted.