Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume will lead a five-persons strong delegation dispatched by President Bola Tinubu to represent Nigeria at the funeral of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, the US civil rights leader and former presidential candidate who died at aged 84.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President Bayo Onanuga announced this in a statement on Wednesday.
Jackson, a longtime advocate for African causes, passed away in Chicago on 17 February.
NewsQuest reports that the funeral rites of the late civil rights advocate began last week with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in the city, followed by services in South Carolina and Washington DC, and another lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse between 1 and 5 March.
A “People’s Celebration” is scheduled for 6 March at Chicago’s House of Hope, with a private homegoing service the following day at Rainbow PUSH.
“Leading the Nigerian group is Senator George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation.
“He will be joined by 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 Ambassador Sola Enikanolaye Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and International Relations,” Onanuga said.
“The delegation is due to deliver Tinubu’s condolences to Jackson’s family. In a tribute, the Nigerian president hailed Jackson as “a great friend of Nigeria and Africa” and a “moral voice” against South Africa’s apartheid regime.
“He played a leading role in the campaign for the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders,” the statement added.
The late US civil rights leader won critical support for sanctions against the then apartheid government.
