President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the late Reverend Jesse Jackson as a racial justice advocate and influential activist, highlighting his decades-long role as a community organizer and political leader who tirelessly fought for justice, equality, and human dignity across the United States and around the world.
Tinubu noted that the civil rights leader played a key role in American politics, including paving the way for Barack Obama to become the first Black U.S. president. He also highlighted Jackson’s early campaigns as a Democratic Party presidential contender in 1984 and 1988, which challenged systemic barriers and inspired generations.
In a statement issued on Monday following the announcement of Jackson’s passing, the president emphasized his contributions to Nigeria and Africa, saying he had stood for human rights during Nigeria’s military dictatorship and served as Special Envoy to Nigeria and Africa under U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Tinubu added that the late Jackson helped link African leaders with the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus to promote the continent’s interests internationally, and played a leading role in the campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders from prison.
The president described Jackson as a moral voice and advocate for justice, noting that even in his later years, his influence continued to inspire people to “fight for what is right and never lose faith in humanity.”
According to the statement, “Reverend Jackson was a servant-leader who captured the global imagination as a young activist, alongside civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., fighting for the dignity of black people, the oppressed, and the voiceless in the United States and across the world.
“Along with other compatriots, Reverend Jackson carried on the unfinished business of Martin Luther King Jnr in the noble fight for racial justice in the United States.
“As a student in the United States in the 1970s, I lived in Chicago, the same city where Reverend Jackson fought the most important battles against injustice and all forms of discrimination. I witnessed firsthand how, as a faithful servant of God and humanity, he pointed the arc of American society to the great promise of the American dream.
“Reverend Jackson lived a remarkable life as a strong voice for the universal ideals of justice and human progress. Even as age and illness mellowed him, his voice still resonated, urging us never to stop fighting for what is right and never to lose faith in humanity. He wanted us to “keep hope alive”.
