President Bola Tinubu has constituted a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the burial of American civil rights leader, Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Jackson, an activist and former United States presidential candidate, died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84 in Chicago.
According to a statement by the president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday, the delegation is led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Other members 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 on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaye.
According to the presidency, the delegation will deliver President Tinubu’s message of condolences to the Jackson family.
In an earlier tribute, Tinubu described Jackson as a great friend of Nigeria and Africa, noting his strong stance against apartheid in South Africa and his advocacy for the release of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders.
The burial programme began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago. Activities are scheduled to continue 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 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.
