President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined world leaders and the people of the United States in mourning the passing of renowned civil rights leader and Baptist preacher, Reverend Jesse Jackson.
President Tinubu described the late Jackson as “a servant-leader whose lifelong struggle for justice reshaped America and inspired democratic movements across Africa and the world.”
In a condolence message issued on Tuesday, he said Reverend Jackson, who died at the age of 84, “devoted his life to the dignity of Black people, the oppressed and the voiceless, alongside other champions of racial justice led by the late Martin Luther King Jr.”
The President recalled that although Reverend Jackson built a career as a preacher and political organiser, he rose to national and global prominence for demanding improved social and economic conditions for African-Americans, carrying forward the unfinished work of the civil rights movement in the United States.
He added that Reverend Jackson “played a defining role in American political history,” noting that his presidential bids in 1984 and 1988 “helped open the political space that eventually led to the election of Barack Obama as the first Black President of the United States.”
Reflecting on his personal experience as a student in Chicago in the 1970s, President Tinubu said he witnessed Reverend Jackson’s relentless battles against injustice and discrimination, describing him as “a faithful servant of God and humanity who helped bend American society towards the promise of its democratic ideals.”
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He also highlighted Reverend Jackson’s enduring ties to Nigeria and Africa, noting that the late civil rights leader “promoted civil liberties, democracy and good governance across the continent” and helped forge links between African leaders and the United States Congressional Black Caucus to advance Africa’s interests in Washington.
The President recalled Reverend Jackson’s prominent role in the global campaign against apartheid in South Africa, including his advocacy for the release of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders, as well as his support for international sanctions against the apartheid regime.
He further noted that during Nigeria’s years of military rule, Reverend Jackson “stood firmly for human rights and the restoration of democratic governance,” serving as Special Envoy to Nigeria and Africa under former United States President Bill Clinton between 1997 and 1999.
President Tinubu described Reverend Jackson as “a moral voice for universal justice whose influence transcended borders,” saying even in old age and ill health, “his message of hope and human dignity continued to resonate across generations.”
He prayed for the repose of the late civil rights icon’s soul, urging the world to uphold the values of justice, equality, and faith in humanity which Reverend Jackson lived for.