Nigeria wakes up to HIV reality

By Nnenna Obibuaku
BBC Africa Live, Lagos

Many Nigerians remain ignorant about Aids

Nigeria has recently embarked on extensive Aids awareness campaigns in response to criticism that the country has not done enough to tackle the epidemic.

The country has one of the world's highest numbers of people living with the HIV virus.

According to the latest UNAids report, about 5% of Africa's most populous country, or about 3.8 million people, are HIV positive.

Already 2.3 million have died from Aids and 800,000 children are orphans.

Fela Kuti

The government's response has been to run adverts and education programmes on national radio and television.

A number of billboards warning about HIV and Aids have been put up on roads into and around major cities, such as Lagos.

I think that the whole issue is overblown and over-exaggerated. Mohammed Idris Have Your Say

Some people, however, warn that rural areas are still being overlooked.

On one billboard is Femi Kuti, son of the world-famous Nigerian musician, Fela Ransome Kuti, who died in 1997 from an Aids-related disease. Femi's message is: "AIDS NO DEY SHOW FOR FACE (Aids doesn't show on your face)".

The effect these government HIV and Aids awareness campaigns and statistics have on Nigerians is quite varied.

The stigma surrounding HIV and Aids is still very high - and a few people did not even want to talk to me about whether they paid attention to the Aids messages or not.

But many more people did want to talk.

Warning messages

Mercy, who works in a cyber-cafe, says the messages make her sit up and listen: "The reason I listen is because I feel for those who contract it."

Mohammed Idris who works in an oil company said: "I do switch off because I think that the whole issue is overblown and over-exaggerated".

Bank manager, Uche Onyemaobi, said: "Sometimes I listen and sometimes I don't, it depends on what the advert has to say."

On the whole, then, it would seem that Nigerians are not tired of hearing warning messages about HIV and Aids.

They want to know as much as possible about HIV and Aids. The question is whether Nigerians then change their sexual behaviour based on this knowledge.