ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has joined world leaders and the people of the United States in mourning the death of renowned civil rights campaigner and Baptist preacher, Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu described Jackson as a great servant-leader whose lifelong struggle for racial justice and human dignity left an enduring mark on American society and the global community.
The President said Jackson captured global attention as a young activist working alongside civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., and went on to demand improved social and economic conditions for African-Americans and other marginalised groups.
Tinubu noted that Jackson carried forward the unfinished work of King in the quest for equality and justice, becoming both a national and international symbol of resistance against oppression.
Recalling his time as a student in the United States in the 1970s, Tinubu said he lived in Chicago, where Jackson fought some of his most defining battles against injustice.
“I witnessed firsthand how, as a faithful servant of God and humanity, he pointed the arc of American society towards the great promise of the American dream,” the President said.
Tinubu further acknowledged Jackson’s influence in American politics and global affairs, stating that his presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 helped lay the groundwork for the eventual election of Barack Obama as the first Black President of the United States.
“When Barack Obama broke the glass ceiling as the first Black President in America, it was Rev. Jackson who first inflicted the cracks in 1984 and again in 1988,” Tinubu stated.
The President also described Jackson as a steadfast friend of Nigeria and Africa, noting his vocal opposition to apartheid in South Africa and his role in campaigns for the release of Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the African National Congress.
Tinubu recalled that Jackson defended human rights and democratic rule during Nigeria’s period of military dictatorship and served as Special Envoy appointed by Bill Clinton to Nigeria and Africa in 1997 and 1999.
According to the President, Jackson promoted civil liberties and helped forge links between African leaders and the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus in advancing Africa’s interests.
He described the late cleric as a persistent voice for justice and human progress, known for urging people to “keep hope alive”, and prayed for the repose of his soul.
