Tinubu mourns US civil rights icon, Jesse Jackson who passed

Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined 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 Tuesday morning at the age of 84.

According to report, Reverend Jesse Jackson, was a long-time US civil rights leader and a two-time presidential candidate died at the age of 84, announced by his family.

His death was announced in a statement on social media while his family said he died peacefully. Reverend Jesse Jackson was in the frontlines in the battle for civil rights in the 1960s alongside Martin Luther King Jr.

The President in a statement said Reverend Jackson was a servant-leader who captured the global imagination as a young activist, alongside Martin Luther King Jr., fighting for the dignity of black people, the oppressed, and the voiceless in the United States and across the world.

He said, “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.

Tinubu added, “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”.

The President pressed further that Reverend Jackson was a great friend of Nigeria and Africa. He was a moral voice and a formidable resistance to apartheid in South Africa.
“Jackson played a leading role in the campaign for the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders and won critical support for sanctions against then apartheid govt.

“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”, the President concluded.