- As Tributes Pour In For A ‘Fearless’ Diplomat
The death of former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington has continued to generate reactions with President Muhammadu Buhari leading many Nigerians in paying tribute to a man described as ‘ A Long Time Friend’ of the country.
The President in a tribute on Wednesday evening described the late diplomat as Nigeria’s ‘Long Time Friend’ who was courageous while adding that the story of the Nigerian democracy under the Fourth Republic will not be complete without a mention of the heroic roles of the likes of Ambassador Carrington.
“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Nigeria, I commiserate with the family of the deceased, his friends and admirers as well as the government and people of the United States,” the President added.
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Also, a senator in the eight senate and human rights activist, Shehu Sani described his death as a great loss.
“I received the sad news of the death of former US Ambassador Walter Carrington. We owe a debt of gratitude to the man who courageously stood on the side of democratic forces during the struggle against the military dictatorship. A great loss. May his soul Rest In Peace” he wrote on Twitter.
Similarly, many Nigerians have been paying tribute to the foremost diplomat who they described as a fearless man who spoke when it was most dangerous to speak.
According to Joshua Obera “May God accept the soul of Walter Carrington in Paradise, he was a true Nigerian, he stood with us and spoke for those that couldn’t speak when it was most dangerous to speak” he also wrote.
Another Nigerian Ambrose Ogbunambala described him as a true friend of Nigeria and a worthy son-in-law.
“Walter Carrington was more than an ambassador. He was a true friend of Nigeria and a worthy son-in-law. May his soul rest in peace” he also wrote.
Recall that Walter Carrington died on Tuesday at the age of 90. His death was confirmed in a statement signed by his wife, Arese Carrington. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
“It is with a heavy and broken heart but with gratitude to God for his life of selfless humanity that I announce the passing of my beloved husband, Walter Carrington, former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and Senegal. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones at the age of 90 years old on Tuesday, August 11th, 2020″ she wrote.
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The late Walter Carrington was an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Senegal and Nigeria.
He served as the US Ambassador to Senegal from 1980 to 1981 and was appointed by U.S President Bill Clinton in 1993 as the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, where he remained until 1997.
His ties to Nigeria were deep; he had married into a Nigerian family and had lived in three Nigerian cities since the late 1960s.
In 1981, he was named Director of the Department of International Affairs of Howard University. He published several articles on Africa.
He served as US Ambassador to Nigeria from 1993 to 1997. On 1 September 2004, Carrington was named the Warburg Professor of International Relations at Simmons College in Boston.
Carrington is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1997, he received an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Livingstone College, North Carolina.
In 1991, he published Africa in the Minds and Deeds of Black American Leaders (with Edwin Dorn).
In 2010, he published A Duty to Speak: Refusing to Remain Silent in a Time of Tyranny, a compilation of his speeches supporting democracy and human rights in Nigeria during the Abacha military dictatorship.
He has written many Africa-related articles for national magazines.
