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DE RUEHUJA #1890 2891446
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161446Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7237
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 2106
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
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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