SRMC PANDITH ENGAGES NIGERIAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY

UNCLAS ABUJA 001890 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/SRMC, AF/W, AND IIP/AF CBERGIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KISL NI SUBJECT: SRMC PANDITH ENGAGES NIGERIAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY ¶1. (U) Summary: During her October 8-10 visit to Abuja and Kano, Special Representative to Muslim Communities (SRMC) Farah Pandith met Nigerian religious leaders, civil society activists, and government officials to promote person-to-person engagement with diverse Muslim communities. Pandith observed grassroots activities and compiled a list of programs that encourage building networks of like-minded people and partnerships with a focus on the next generation of Muslim leaders. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Islamic Education Trust's (IET) Nuruddeen Lemu shared with SRMC Pandith the curriculum developed for secondary school levels and above, with modules on peaceful coexistence, gender equity, Islamic law, and Islamic and western culture, that are used at youth retreats. Delivery of material is done via train-the-trainer methodology to ensure concepts continue once sessions end. Lemu told the SRMC his organization has been invited to deliver this training in Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, Bahrain, Malaysia, in Chicago, and elsewhere. ¶3. (SBU) After hearing more about President Obama's Cairo speech, followed by the Secretary's visit to Nigeria, and meeting SRMC Pandith, Abuja-based youth leader Ibrahim Balogun promised to begin a conversation with other Nigerian Muslim youth to counter both extremist ideology and the misinterpretation of Islam. Just two days later, Balogun started a Facebook page dedicated to open communication among Muslim youth with mutual interests to promote respect for all. ¶4. (SBU) In multiple meetings, youth were eager to discuss the value of communicating through popular music. The wide popularity of Nigerian "Hip Hop" music, which is a blend of styles from Nigeria, India and Saudi Arabia, contains messages of family, peace, and coexistence, connecting people from around the world. Further exploring communication media in discussions, SRMC heard that Nigeria does not yet have robust Internet access outside of Lagos and Abuja. However, Nigeria does have widespread cell phone availability enabling the use of SMS text messaging as a viable vehicle for rural communication. ¶5. (U) SRMC Pandith conducted Voice of America (VOA Hausa) and Freedom Radio interviews on FM radio (a primary means of obtaining news and special interest programming throughout northern Nigeria) that have been rebroadcast in English and Hausa (the prominent language spoken in Nigeria's predominantly Muslim North),repeating her message of mutual respect multiple times. She also appeared in a feature story in the October 16 edition of "Daily Trust" newspaper. ¶6. (U) Comment: Post looks forward to offering SRMC new program proposals for training Muslim youth in leadership and for vocational training to mitigate sky-high youth unemployment levels in predominantly Muslim areas. End Comment. ¶7. (U) SRMC Pandith did not have the opportunity to clear on this cable prior to departing Nigeria. SANDERS