27 June 2023 – AREWA24, the leading Hausa language family entertainment and lifestyle television channel and production studio in Nigeria and West Africa, announces the launch of its inaugural Focus on Mental Health and Wellness Month.
Throughout the month of July, AREWA24 will devote major segments of its daily breakfast show, “Gari Ya Waye,” and its women’s show, “Mata A Yau” to a series of in-depth discussions and interviews with some of the top doctors, therapists and other health experts on issues of mental health and wellness in Northern Nigeria. Although experts agree that mental health is an integral part of good health and well-being, it has been neglected in Nigeria and Northern Nigeria.

According to the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), more than 60 million Nigerians are suffering from some form of mental illness, but only 10 percent are able to access appropriate care. APN President Taiwo Obindo explains that the gap in treatment is a result of various factors, including a lack of knowledge which leaves people with insufficient information about the causes of mental illness and the ability to identify and seek appropriate treatment.

Despite the prevalence of mental illness in the country, according to the Nigerian Medical Association, there are only 350 psychiatrists currently available to serve a Nigerian population of some 220 million people. It is estimated that at least one out of every four Nigerians are living with some sort or mental illness.
“People do not have an understanding about mental health,” says Nigerian mental health expert, Aisha Bubah. “So mental health gets attributed to so many cultural beliefs, superstitious beliefs, and evil. And the image of mental health people have is always about the most extreme cases.”

AREWA24 is working to fill this glaring knowledge gap by first providing basic information and awareness about mental health, mental illness and mental wellness. The goal of the AREWA24 Mental Health and Wellness campaign is to close the information gap by providing credible information and to eliminate the stigmatism surrounding issues of mental health. AREWA24 has brought together a group of psychiatrists, therapists, and subject matter experts who will also discuss how we can all develop ways to nurture positive mental wellness, both individually and with our families. This includes services ranging from assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and counseling – all dedicated to maintaining and restoring the mental well-being of Northern Nigerians.

“At AREWA24, we’re committed to using our broadly distributed, popular and trusted entertainment platform to serve our Northern Nigerian communities with positive campaigns such as our upcoming “Focus on Mental Health and Wellness Month,” said Aisha Lawal, Executive Producer of AREWA24’s Studio Productions. “We believe it’s our corporate and social responsibility to go beyond just entertaining our viewers. That’s why we want to raise awareness around critically important issues in our communities such as mental health. We want to help educate and inform our sons and daughters, help prepare them for a better future, and try to address some of the root causes of poverty to which poor mental health is a major contributor.”

ABOUT AREWA24 (https://arewa24.com/company-overview/): AREWA24 and its production arm, AREWA24 Productions, was launched in 2014 to fill a glaring void of authentic, locally-produced and high-quality Hausa language entertainment and lifestyle programming that reflects pride in Northern Nigerian life, culture, music, film, art, cooking, and sports. Today, AREWA24 reaches 40+ million Hausa speakers in Nigeria and West Africa through its Eutelsat satellite free-to-air broadcast, on the StarTimes payTV bouquet (channel#138) the two Multichoice payTV platforms, DStv (channel #261) and GOtv (channel #136), the payTV and on the Canal+ payTV service (channel #285) in Niger, Chad and Cameroun. AREWA24 benefits from active audience engagement across its digital platforms at AREWA24.com, facebook.com/AREWA24, and Instagram.com/AREWA24channel. AREWA24 also operates a global streaming service, AREWA24 On Demand in partnership with Vimeo.

To subscribe to the global streaming service, AREWA24 ON DEMAND, go to http://tv.arewa24.com or download the app from the IOS App Store, Google Play, Apple TV, Roku Channel Store, and Amazon Fire TV.
For additional information please contact: info@arewa24.com

The new drama series from AREWA24, ‘Kwana Casa’in’ (90 Days), has come with a new plots and styles that is quite different from the Kannywood movies we watch every day. The story tells about Nigerian politics and what has really been happening in our universities and in our daily lives.

For decades, our Kannywood movies should be pointing out the kind of problems we were faced with; instead, our Hausa movies portray dancing, music and modeling. In the 90 days drama series, there is a very high-quality picture which is different compared to Kennywood movies. This is because high-quality equipment has been used in the film making to give viewers a quality picture.

And the locations used in the drama are quite amazing, places such as hospitals, offices, homes, universities and a radio station. Really, AREWA24 has used a collection of professionals and they deserve a thump up. Looking at the places in the drama, even if someone is living outside Nigeria, they can fully understand what the story is trying to portray. This alone shows that AREWA24 is one of a kind and with professionals. Whenever I am watching ‘Kwana Casa’in,’(90 Days) I feel like am watching a reality drama, because the drama shows the way people in power and the way the poor live. Today, people in power make good use of the poor to subjugate high positions by all means. I believe that, before the end of this drama, many people will learn different lessons in life. When I first saw the faces of some Kannywood actors and actress, I felt weak and fear engulfed my heart – – the fear of sabotaging the drama the way they always did in their movies. But, to my surprise, they appear to be different and serious in this drama without making us bored of watching it. This showed me that, if they can have a good story and equipment, and invite educated people in their productions, I feel that they might be even better in the Kannywood film Industry. The way these artists showed commitment and expertise; it is very impressive. Even those who watch foreign movies will salute them, because developed countries were producing dramatic series about issues facing them in their countries, unlike the trash in the films we’re used to watching. It seems like the 90 days drama will overshadow AREWA24’s drama series, Dadin Kowa, as there is no single drama from the Kannywood [film industry] to rub shoulders with Dadin Kowa so far. It may only be AREWA24 that can be able to shine again with its new and well-produced drama series, 90 days (Kwana Casa’in). During the long time I have been watching Kannywood’s Hausa films, I realised that here is a school for Kannywood to learn more. Gradually AREWA24 will replace Hausa dramas, because they are treating issues that are affecting us in this country, not just singing and dancing on our TV screens. Fadila H Aliyu Kurfi is a writer and analyst on current affairs and an activist.

She can be contacted through email: fadilakurfi@gmail.com, Facebook: Fadila H Aliyu Kurfi.

AREWA24, the leading Hausa language entertainment and lifestyle television channel and production studio in Nigeria and West Africa, announces a major slate of new and exciting shows to coincide with the company’s sixth anniversary.