US embassy cable - 03LAGOS1833

UNCLAS LAGOS 001833 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SECSTATE FOR ECA/PE/V/G/A DSCHUMAN AND EBUTLER; INFO AF/PD 
(AAMIRTHANAYAGAM); ABUJA FOR CPAO 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, KDEM, OEXC, SCUL, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN EDITOR BECOMES UNABASHED BUSH SISTER 
 
Ref: State 127739 
 
 
1. Summary: Special Project participant Nkechinyere Nwosu 
returned to Nigeria excited about her program. She informed 
Post that she had a good experience and that the program 
helped change the misconceptions she had about the U.S., 
including the U.S. policies on Iraq and Africa. She said she 
learned a great deal about the U.S. foreign policy, U.S. 
efforts to fight terrorism and AGOA. Already, she has become 
a positive voice for U.S. policies and sound reporting among 
the local press. End Summary. 
 
 
2. Fiscal Year: FY - 2003 
   Quarter: Third 
   Date: July 21 - August 1, 2003 
 
 
3. Nwosu said the program helped her understand the U.S. 
policy on Iraq and why the U.S. went to war with Iraq. Sshe 
said that she initially thought that the U.S. went to war in 
Iraq for the money it would gain from selling Iraqi oil. 
After the program, she said she understood that the regime 
in Iraq had to be changed so that it would not continue to 
endanger its own people and its neighbors. 
 
 
On Africa, she said that initially the real benefits of AGOA 
were not clear but participating in the program had 
convinced her that there was a lot for Nigeria and Africa to 
benefit from AGOA and that she will now better inform her 
audience through her reports. 
 
 
Overall, Nwosu noted that the program gave her a good 
exposure to U.S. foreign policy, American social and 
cultural trends and enabled her to understand the evolution 
of American policies.  She now understands the average 
American as being blunt and frank. She added that the 
program enabled her to understand how the U.S. balances 
security and civil liberties, citing her experiences with 
lengthy security checks at U.S. airports. 
 
 
4. Results: Nwosu has started positively writing about her 
experiences. Although her positive comments about the U.S. 
have earned her the deragotory nickname "Bush sister," she 
is undeterred. 
 
 
Nwosu also said the program exposed her to the role she 
could play as a journalist in creating awareness on 
HIV/AIDS. 
 
 
Locally-based third country diplomats have already offered 
unsolicited comments to Mission staff about the quality of 
Nwosu's reports.  Post expects Nwosu to continue in her self- 
professed mission to expose truth, even if it adversely 
affects those in high government positions. 
 
 
5. Post appreciates the opportunity to send one of Nigeria's 
finest editors on this program.  However, as per Nwosu's 
concerns, Post would request at least a small focus on 
typicalaverage American citizens' attitudes in future 
International Visitor grants. 
 
 
Hinson-Jones