Akume, Odumegwu-Ojukwu, others lead Nigeria’s delegation to Jesse Jackson’s burial in US

President Bola Tinubu has approved a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the burial of renowned American civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, scheduled to take place on Saturday in the United States.

Jackson, a former presidential candidate and prominent advocate for civil rights and social justice, died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84 in Chicago.

In a statement released on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the Nigerian 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 convey President Tinubu’s message of condolence to the Jackson family and pay tribute to the late civil rights icon on behalf of Nigeria.

The funeral programme for Jackson began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago.

Additional memorial activities include services in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., as well as a lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse from March 1 to March 5.

A “People’s Celebration” is scheduled for March 6 at the House of Hope, followed by a private homegoing service on March 7 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

In an earlier tribute, Tinubu described Jackson as a steadfast friend of Nigeria and Africa who consistently championed justice and 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,” the president said.