By Obinna Uballa
President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the final burial rites of American civil rights leader and activist, Jesse Jackson, scheduled to hold on Saturday in the United States.
Jackson, a former presidential candidate and long-time advocate for civil rights and social justice, died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84 in Chicago.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the delegation would be led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Other members of the delegation include the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; the Special Presidential Envoy for Global and Pan-African Affairs, Brian Browne; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Sola Enikanolaye.
According to the statement, the delegation will deliver President Tinubu’s message of condolence to the Jackson family and pay tribute to the late civil rights icon.
The burial programme for Jackson began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago.
Other activities in the funeral programme include memorial services in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., as well as a lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse between March 1 and March 5.
A “People’s Celebration” will be held on March 6 at the House of Hope in Chicago, followed by a private homegoing service on March 7 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
In an earlier tribute, President Tinubu described Jackson as a steadfast friend of Nigeria and Africa, noting his strong advocacy for justice and racial equality.
“He was a moral voice and a formidable opponent of apartheid in South Africa. He played a leading role in the campaign for the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the African National Congress. He also helped galvanise global support for sanctions against the apartheid regime,” Tinubu said.
