PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

U.S. Embassy Officials honor Dr. King’s Legacy in Kano

Venue: Freedom Radio, Kano
Date: January 21, 2009

CPAO Atim Eneida George at Freedom Radio Kano. | Full size

Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs, Atim Eneida George together with the Information Resource Officer, Linda Parker, participated in a Freedom Radio, Kano live talk show “Freedom Special Guest” on Wednesday, January 21, 2009, and spoke about the key pillars of U.S. framework for partnership with Nigeria.  Ms. George told Freedom Radio listeners that her work involves public diplomacy outreach, engaging students, scholars, scientists, civil society and the media, to explain U.S. Government policies, American society and values. 

She said that the U.S. relationship with Nigeria is growing from strength to strength with the U.S. Mission in Nigeria partnering with the Nigerian Government and institutions to execute projects, “Investing in People,” “Promoting Economic Growth,” and strengthening institutions and building their capacity to “Govern Justly and Democratically.”

The Counselor for Public Affairs said her current visit to Kano was to participate in a program organized by the American Corner partners in Kano to honor the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King and to engage in discussions about his work. 

Ms. George said the visit was also an opportunity to introduce the new Information Resource Officer Linda Parker to the Kano community. 

She answered questions from the program anchor, Musa Mamman, for about twenty five minutes before the telephone lines were opened to callers, each of whom started their comments by congratulating the United States of America for electing Barak Obama as President.

Most of the callers said, Barak Obama’s inauguration as U.S. President, and his actions so far, are redefining the way that America is viewed by the Kano community and other Muslims around the World. 

They said, by electing an African-American as President, America has lived up to the late Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of citizens being judged by the content of their character, and not by the color of their skin, and this event is a testimony to America’s democratic tradition. 

Speaking at a reception in honor of the visiting U.S. Embassy officials at the end of the talk show, Freedom Radio Executive Director, Marketing, Alhaji Faruk Dalhatu together with the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the station, Alhaji Ado Mohammed, thanked the U.S. Mission in Nigeria for its support to Freedom Radio right from its inception.  The two executives said they value the relationship and would continue to explore possible areas of collaboration with the U.S. Mission to promote mutual understanding.

The Freedom Radio executives also said the radio station had received positive comments from its listeners, congratulating the United States of America during President Obama’s inauguration program a day earlier, with lots of goodwill messages for America from audiences, most of whom were previously opposed to American views.

Freedom Radio is one of the six radio stations in Nigeria currently airing a U.S. Government-sponsored program “Greetings from America.”

While in Kano, the U.S. Mission’s Public Diplomacy team also visited and met with the leadership of the Kano State Television Corporation (CTV 67/48) as well as the Center for Democratic Research and Training (Mambayya House), the former residence of Kano’s foremost politician and nationalist, Malam Aminu Kano. 

The team also held a roundtable discussion with officials and some members of the National Association of Women Journalists in Kano, and discussed the role of women journalists in promoting critical issues that affect women in the development process.