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View all search resultsNU names rocker spokesperson
The country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has appointed songwriter Ahmad Dhani, who fronted rock band Dewa 19 in the 1990s, as chairman of the organization's arts and culture organization Lesbumi
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he country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has appointed songwriter Ahmad Dhani, who fronted rock band Dewa 19 in the 1990s, as chairman of the organization's arts and culture organization Lesbumi.
With the decision, NU chairman Said Aqil Siradj said that the organization wanted to reignite the cultural influence the NU once had.
'It used to be that NU had influential artists like Asrul Sani, Djamaluddin Malik and Usmar Ismail,' Said Aqil said referring to some of the country's critically-acclaimed directors.
Said Aqil said that Dhani had what it took to revive arts and culture within the organization.
'Dhani is a great musician. We hope that his being part of NU would bring back the glory days of NU in cultural arena,' Said Aqil said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Dhani said that he was proud to be part of the NU and that he would use the platform to promote the friendly face of Islam.
'My grandfather was a military member who was close to [Muslim rebel] Kartosuwiryo, who promoted a firebrand version of Islam. Now, I am in a place where Islam is civil. This is the right place for me,' Dhani said.
