Robin Renee Sanders: 'A Revolutionary Ambassador'

Robin Renee Sanders
A Revolutionary Ambassador

Though Mr Whitney M.Young a Civil rights leader died in Lagos while in the country to promote human rights and understanding, never had the position of the United States Ambassdaor to Nigeria caused an uproar like the time of Ambassador Walter Carrington who was the US Ambssador to Nigeria at the the critical time of the now famous Nigeria's political slogan June12,1993.
An election adjudged by all and sundry to be the fairest to be held in Nigeria was annuled by the then self acclaimed military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The annulment caused a lot of local and
international brouhaha. Ibrahim Badamasi Babagida was forced to step aside from the position of Head of state. An interim government was installed against public out cry The man who was assumed to have won the elections,Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola was on the other hand cavassing local and international supports to help him claim his mandate. Late General Sani Abacha,by virtue of General Babangida's resignation became the most senior officer in the rank and file of the Nigerian Army. True to the expectations of public affairs analysts,General Sani Abacha seized power from the Interim government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan. GeneralSanni Abacha quickly ordered the arrest of Chief M.k.O. Abiola in Lagos.
The civil right activists in Nigeria waded into action. They were able to convince the entire Nigerian populace to embark on a prolonged civil disobedience. All the banks were closed for several weeks, civil servants, private and other corporate workers were all on strike and telling the
Abacha government that on June 12 they stand! The military govenment responded by acting armed to the teeth as many Nigerians lost their lives over the June 12 issue.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a fiery lawyer and human rights activist ,Chief Femi Falana, Professor Wole Soyinka, famous Nigerian writer and play wright and the first African to win a Nobel prize in Literature and other activists were at the forefront of the battle to force the military out and install the winner of the June 12 elections.
It would be very right to say that Ambassador Walter Carrington who fought alongside the human rights activists provided Nigeria the needed gate way into a new era of democracy.

In November,2007 a new United States Ambassador arrives in Nigeria.Her memorable handshake with the President of Nigeria, Late Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and the warm smiles that dotted her beautiful face were full of promises. President Yar'Adua smiles back with his traditional wide grin. Dr Robin Renee Sanders was perhaps saying 'Mr President- Here comes The Renee with a large American heart!
At a posture that looks like six feet tall, dreamy eyes, toothy smiles and a traditional African hair braid,Robin Renee Sanders landed on Nigeria. In the 18th century during the scramble into Africa, the
then colonialists landed on African soil with the three Bs. The Book. The Bread. The Bullet. The Emirs, The Obis, The Obas were hard hit by their three political weapons. The book,the bread and the
bullet conquered the hearts of the low and the mighty across Africa and the continent was never the same again! They scared with their bullets, fed Africans with their bread and In doctrinate them with their books.Mary Slessor abolished the killing of twins in Calabar, South -East, Nigeria.The Colonialists abolished the worship of Idols and waded into inter tribal wars in many African states.

Dr Robin Renee Sanders, the first female US Ambassador to Nigeria came with just one alphabet. The American 'G'. She came with the popular American Gospel of a giver country. Between November, 2007 and July, 2010, never had an American Ambassador given so much to Nigeria!

Apart from European Union (EU) which is a composition of twenty seven (27) countries, the United States of America is the largest donor/giver of humanitarian aids all over the world.
Dr Robin Renee Sanders has spread the American gospel to the 36 states of Nigeria. She has traversed all the lenghth and breadth of Nigeria. Exchange warm pleasantries with the Obas in the south, the Obis and Igwes in the South East and the Emirs in the North. The Talakawas and the Al-mAJIRI in the North, the Mekunu in the South West and the Umu- Ala in the South East, South west. etcetra. All these people and many Nigerians have felt the salvo from the 'GUN' of this high velocity giver!
Dr Robin Renee Sanders was conferred with the title Yeye Oba from the South West. Named Ada Mazi/Nne Oma from the South West. She put smiles on the faces of Farmers/Agriculturists. She gives hope to the Nigerian children in school and sensitize the parents of the Nigerian Children of school age, who are not in school. She cares for the Nigerian police. She acted to secure the Nigerian Airports and Air travellers. More importantly she is still networking to ensure that there is a boost in electricity generation to the Nigerian populace.
She liaze with health carers/ providers in Nigeria to compliment health care delivery .