US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1627

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001627 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR PA/OBS/BS JULIE JAMES; AF/PD AMIRTHANAYAGAM 
LAGOS FOR PAS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OEXC, SCUL, NI 
SUBJECT: NORTHERN NIGERIA'S MOST STRIDENT ANTI-U.S. RADIO 
STATION JOINS MODERATE MUSLIM VOICES 
 
 
Ref: State 079567 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY: "America gives more freedom to Muslims to 
practice their religion than anywhere else in the Islamic 
world," says FRCN Kaduna on the eve of 9/11 in the seventh 
episode of the program series on "Muslim Life in America" 
presented by State Department-sponsored TV Co-op producer, 
Buhari Auwalu.  FRCN Kaduna is northern Nigeria's oldest 
and most listened-to radio station established in 1962 as 
"The Voice of the North" by northern Nigeria's highly 
respected religious and political leader, Ahmadu Bello. 
 
 
The producer said that the TV Co-op program was his most 
difficult challenge in many years of experience at FRCN 
because of the misconceptions about America that their 
listeners had been fed over the years (Note: Many of 
misconceptions were aired on FRCN Kaduna.  End Note).  FRCN 
is surprised, however, that rather than lose their 
traditional listeners because of the pro-American message 
now being broadcast, the station has gained more listeners 
since the program began airing on July 23. 
 
 
After weeks of listening to the voices of their fellow 
Nigerian Muslims living in the U.S. tell their story of 
religious freedom and equal treatment before the law on 
their most trusted radio station, northern Islamic 
extremists face greater obstacles convincing their 
audiences that America is at war with Islam.  End summary. 
 
 
2.  DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: FY-03 TV Co-op request for NTA 
and FRCN Kaduna: Public Affairs Abuja, working with 
PA/OBS/BS, facilitated the TV Co-op production on the 
subject of "Muslim Life in America" with Nigeria's National 
Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio 
Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN Kaduna).  The crew traveled to 
the U.S. April 26-May 11, 2003.  PA/OBS/BS Julie James was 
the Production Officer for this project.  She arranged 
interviews and location shots in Washington, DC; New York 
City; Jackson, MS; St. Louis, MO; and Houston, TX for the 
Nigerian crew to look at various aspects of life in America 
--  particularly through the eyes of Hausa-speaking 
Nigerian Muslims in America.  As a result of this tour, 
FRCN Kaduna produced 13 episodes of a 15-minutes Hausa 
program now on its seventh week of broadcast under the 
title "Jakar Magori" (The Pandora Box).  The interviews 
included citizens, scholars, and religious activists.  The 
National Television Authority (NTA), the second Nigerian 
crew on this project has produced a 6o-minute English 
television documentary to be broadcast later this 
September.  Results of the NTA program will be reported 
separately. 
 
 
3.  JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVE:  Many Nigerian Muslims 
believe that the USG sees Islam as a threat and is actively 
working to stop its growth and influence in America and 
other parts of the world, especially after September 11. 
Many northern Nigerians, for instance, are unaware that 
Muslims live in the United States and are freely practicing 
their religion in mosques throughout the U.S.  The TV Co-op 
program was aimed at educating Nigerian Muslims about 
democracy, religious tolerance, and cultural diversity in 
the U.S. with a view to disabusing their minds of 
allegations that the United States is targeting Islam in 
the war against terrorism in Afghanistan, Iraq, or 
elsewhere in the world. 
 
 
4. MPP UMBRELLA THEME AND AUDIENCE REACHED: War against 
terrorism, and understanding of the U.S.  Audience was a 
targeted group of about 60 million northern Muslims, most 
of whom believe that America is targeting Islam in the war 
against terrorism.  FRCN Kaduna is the oldest, and the most 
influential radio station in northern Nigeria. 
 
 
5. USG SUPPORT: Excellent. PA/OBS/BS Project Production 
Officer Julie James was highly praised by the Nigerian crew 
for her professionalism and accommodation for all their 
requests to see and speak with representatives of various 
communities and organizations in America.  The ability of 
the Nigerian crew to discover America by themselves had a 
tremendous impact in the rich quality and credibility of 
the program. Abuja would welcome an opportunity to program 
another TV Co-op crew on the subject of agricultural 
biotechnology or the YES program in FY-04. 
 
 
6. NON-USG SUPPORT:  Highly commendable.  The NTA crew paid 
for their international ticket and postproduction 
activities.  They also donated airtime for the program. 
FRCN Kaduna engaged the services of its best Hausa producer 
and donated airtime on its most popular program "Jakar 
Magori" (The Pandora Box) for 13 weeks.  The FRCN Kaduna's 
program on "Muslim Life in America" is broadcast on 
Wednesdays, at 10:30pm and repeated on Thursdays at 5:30pm. 
7. RESULT/IMPACT: Very effective. The feedback from 
listeners of the program varies, but is generally positive. 
Asked whether American Muslims were harassed and targeted 
after 9/11 attacks, Malam Bello Shehu, a Nigerian Muslim 
from Zaria now residing in Brooklyn, New York said, 
"Initially we were afraid, but our non-Muslim neighbors 
were the ones that protected us from any harassment."  The 
radio producer, Buhari Auwalu, wrote in his assessment of 
the audience response to the program, "The number of 
listeners to the program, especially on the day my slot is 
being aired, has increased tremendously, as some have even 
adjusted their schedule in order to listen to the program. 
Some have requested copies of the program to be recorded 
for them.  A lot of people are surprised by what they hear 
in the program because it contradicts the misconceptions 
that they have about America." 
 
 
Comment:  Although radio broadcasting was not part of the 
TV-Coop program, Hausa radio is the optimal medium for 
reaching the broad Muslim population in northern Nigeria 
and we are grateful to the Department for working with us 
to permit FRCN's participation.  Buhari was an earlier IV 
grantee, with some familiarity with the U.S.  However, his 
initial experience in the United States (focusing on 
discussions with U.S. Muslim leaders) did little to change 
many of his personal anti-U.S. biases.  On his return to 
Nigeria, he did nothing to publicize his IV experience. 
This visit resulted in a marked change in his opinion of 
the United States and he admitted to us that his 
appreciation of the United States deepened considerably due 
to his exchanges with a broader cross-section of people. 
We believe this bodes well for a better working 
relationship with FRCN Kaduna, which we hope to continue. 
 
 
MEECE