By Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the burial of renowned American civil rights leader, Rev. Jesse Jackson, who passed away at the age of 84.
Jackson died on February 17, 2026, in Chicago, United States.
According to a State House press release issued on Wednesday, the delegation is led by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Other members include Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy; Brian Browne, Special Presidential Envoy for Global and Pan-African Affairs; and Sola Enikanolaye, Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
The delegation is expected to deliver President Tinubu’s message of condolences to the Jackson family and formally represent Nigeria at the final burial rites.
In an earlier tribute, President Tinubu described Jackson as a steadfast friend of Nigeria and the African continent. He praised the late cleric as a moral voice who stood firmly against apartheid in South Africa and played a leading role in the global campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the African National Congress.
Tinubu also noted that Jackson mobilised critical international support for sanctions against the apartheid regime, describing his lifelong advocacy for justice and equality as impactful and enduring.
The burial programme began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago. Services were also scheduled in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., including a lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse from March 1 to 5.
A “People’s Celebration” will hold on March 6 at the House of Hope in Chicago, followed by a private homegoing service on March 7 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
The President’s delegation is expected to participate in the ceremonies as part of Nigeria’s tribute to the late civil rights icon.