I join the rest of the world and the people of the United States of America to mourn the passing of civil rights icon and renowned Baptist preacher, Reverend Jesse Jackson, who passed away this morning at the age of 84.
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.
Although he built a career working as a preacher and active political organiser, Reverend Jackson became a national and global icon, demanding improved social and economic conditions for African-Americans.
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.
As a community organiser and activist, Rev. Jackson was an influential figure in American politics and global affairs. If Barack Obama became the first Black American president, it was because Reverend Jackson and his fellow activists did not relent in their march for justice, reminding America of its values and creed.
When Barack Obama broke the glass ceiling as the first Black President in America, it was Reverend Jackson who first inflicted the cracks on the ceiling in 1984 and again in 1988 when he offered himself as a Democratic Party presidential contender.
Reverend Jackson was a great friend of Nigeria and Africa. He was a moral voice and a formidable resistance to apartheid in South Africa. He played a leading role in the campaign for the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders. He won critical support for sanctions against the then apartheid government.
During the dark era of military dictatorship in Nigeria, Reverend Jackson stood in defence of human rights and the restoration of democratic rule. He was the Special Envoy appointed by President Bill Clinton to Nigeria and Africa in 1997 and 1999.
In Nigeria and across Africa, Reverend Jackson promoted civil liberties and advanced the course of democracy and good governance. He also helped link African leaders with the Congressional Black Caucus to promote Africa’s interests in Washington.
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”.
May the great and noble soul of Reverend Jackson find eternal rest.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of Nigeria
