Royal Ambassadors is the name of a Baptist worldwide missionary
organization for boys between the
ages of 10 and 35, an international
organization found in many countries
of the world, wherever there are
Baptists. The organization in Nigeria is
called Royal Ambassadors of Nigeria
(RAN), Nigerian Baptist Convention. In its mission education and ministry plan, RAN has a foundational Christian
educa
tion plans for Junior RA, boys
between the ages 10 and 15, basic
discipleship plans for intermediate RA,
boys ages 16 – 25 and solid mission
education and action plans for Senior RA, who are boys within ages 26 – 35. It has the mandate of making real men
out of boys. The vision and work of Royal Ambassadors started in the United
States of America in 1908 among the
Brotherhood Commission of the
Southern Baptist Convention, USA; and
came to Nigeria as one of the world’s
leading organizations for boys through SBC missionaries. The Women’s Missionary Union sponsored the organization from the
beginning until 1954 when it was
proposed that the men of the Nigerian
Baptist Convention should take over
the boy’s work. The situation that led
to the proposal of Men and Boy’s Department in 1961 which served
both men and boys. Later it became
known as Men’s Missionary Union
and Youth Department before
translating to the defunct Missionary
Organizations Department. Since 2010, the MMU has a departmental status
fondly called Quazi Autonomous
status. Today, the RA operates fully
under the MMU. Royal Ambassadors National Executive Committee (RANEC)
comprises all elected national officers
of the organization only; while the
National Executive Council (NEC)
includes all conference RA Directors. The RA Marshal is the presiding officer in all meetings (executives or general
sessions). But the council cooperates
with the MMU NEC through an
advisory representative designated
RA Council Adviser; and operates from
the MMU office, Baptist Building, (NOTE: the setup of the RA NEC, as above, is
replicated at conference and
associational levels). To the glory of God, RAN now exists in all Baptist Association (LGA)
Conferences (States) and the
Convention, (Nigerian Baptist). It also
coordinates the activities of other RAs
in West African Sub-region and indeed the entire Africa. It has organized two All African RA Summit
successfully (2007, 2010) with more edition yet to come.
