Nigeria’s First Ladies create cancer awareness with new movie, ‘Diamonds In The Sky’

In commemoration of the global breast cancer awareness month (Pink October), the wives of governors across different states and their respective foundations, joined hands to form an alliance called First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC) to create awareness and tackle the deadly scourge.

The ceremony was a two-part event where FLAC was officially unveiled and the breast cancer awareness movie, ‘Diamonds in the Sky’ produced by multiple award-winning filmmaker and actor, Femi Adebayo for Leah Foundation was screened.

During the screening of the breast cancer advocacy movie ‘Diamonds in the Sky’, top health officials from different foundations held practical demonstrations on self-examination and advised women on the importance of early detection and treatment to individual life.

The event, which had the crème of the entertainment industry and other government functionaries in attendance took place at Harbour Point, Victoria Island on Sunday 27th of October, 2019. The first ladies present included the wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Dr Ibironke Sanwoolu of Lagos State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi of Ekiti State, Deaconess. Omolewa Ahmed, Former First lady of Kwara state, Dr Mrs Linda Ayade from Cross River State, Dr Zainab Bagudu from Kebbi State, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi from Enugu State, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, Former First Lady of Lagos State, and former First Lady Ogun State, Dr Mrs Olufunsho Amosun. Other guests who attended include Joke Silva, Toyin Abraham, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Omowunmi Dada, Desmond Elliot, the director of the movie, Kunle Afolayan, Producer, Femi Adebayo, Pastor (Mrs) Iluyomade among several others.

In her remarks, the chief host, the wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibironke Sanwoolu said, “Cancer is responsible for over 72 per cent of death every year thus the need to take step up intervention. FLAC was conceived to scale up advocacy against cancer.”

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Also speaking, wife of the Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyawu-Akeredolu while leading other First Ladies to officially unveil the logo of FLAC said; “Women most especially need to understand how cancer progresses over time and all hands must be on deck to spread the gospel that cancer no longer kills.” According to her, women no longer need to die needlessly from the disease as awareness about screening can make it possible for a woman to detect cancer early.

Commenting, the First Lady of Niger State, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello noted that FLAC was conceived in 2017 to give voice to the cause noting that part of its goal is to get government’s and individual’s attention to fund cancer treatment.

Sharing from her personal experience, the representative of Dangote Foundation, Hajia Halima Dangote said she lost a sister, Fatima Bello Dangote to cancer. She, however, emphasized the need for women to present early whenever they detect any sign of cancer while commending the first ladies for coming up with the initiative.