Pictured above: Amb. AJU Elumelu, back in the day, on her way to a performance at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos.
Long before she became a champion for women’s participation and the voice behind the Women for 35% Initiative, Amb. AJU Elumelu was an artist.
She once recorded a song titled “AIDS Is Real.” On one memorable occasion, she was invited by the late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to perform in Nigeria during the visit of former U.S. President Bill Clinton a moment that placed her voice, quite literally, on a global stage.
But life had another stage waiting for her.
She went on to become a nurse, working in infectious disease and oncology units, where she came face to face with the realities of illness and the human cost of silence, stigma, and late diagnosis. It was there, at the bedside of patients navigating some of the most difficult chapters of their lives, that her advocacy took root.
A Message That Has Only Grown More Urgent
Today, the message she once sang about is more pressing than ever.
Recent figures from Lagos State paint a sobering picture. In 2025, the state recorded 10,430 newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases — the highest figure among all Nigerian states. In just the first quarter of 2026 alone, Lagos identified an additional 3,390 people who tested positive for HIV out of 179,229 tests conducted.
While these numbers reflect newly diagnosed cases rather than new infections acquired specifically within those periods, they remain a powerful reminder of the scale of the HIV challenge in Nigeria — and of just how vital testing, prevention, and early treatment continue to be.
A Voice Returns
In the face of these concerning figures, Amb. AJU has decided to use her voice once again — this time not only as an artist, but as a nurse, advocate, and champion for women. Her goal: to raise awareness, encourage prevention, promote testing, and ultimately, help save lives.
For her, the connection is simple but profound: the fight for women’s empowerment cannot be separated from the fight for women’s health.
An informed woman is an empowered woman.
A healthy woman is a stronger woman.
And a woman who knows her status is better positioned to protect her future.
Empowerment Rooted in Health
Through the Women for 35% Initiative, Amb. AJU’s call is clear women must be empowered to lead, but that leadership must be built on a foundation of knowledge, information, and access to quality healthcare.
The song she once sang began years ago. But the message behind it continues to echo:
HIV is real. Hepatitis is real. Prevention is possible. Testing saves lives.
And Amb. AJU Elumelu is determined to make sure this conversation is louder and reaches further than ever before.
This time, we must all listen.
AJU Global Media