Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has paid tribute to American civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, describing him as a steadfast friend of Nigeria and a committed advocate for Africa during some of the continent’s most defining political struggles.
Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, February 18, Akinyemi reflected on his personal relationship with Jackson, recounting moments when the American activist demonstrated solidarity with Nigeria and the broader African liberation movement.
“Jesse Jackson was a personal friend of mine, a friend of Africa, and a friend of Nigeria,” Akinyemi said, noting that Jackson’s engagement with the country extended beyond diplomacy into active advocacy.
According to the former minister, during the apartheid era in South Africa, Jackson reached out to him while he served as Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister to express support for anti-apartheid efforts and to promote Nigeria’s leadership role in the struggle.
He recalled that Jackson visited Lagos during the administration of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, and that the Nigerian government approved the use of a Nigerian aircraft to facilitate Jackson’s tour of Southern Africa in support of liberation movements.
Akinyemi also highlighted Jackson’s involvement during Nigeria’s June 12 political crisis in the early 1990s, when the annulment of the presidential election triggered widespread unrest and international concern.
He noted that the then U.S. President appointed Jackson as Ambassador for Democracy, a role in which he spoke forcefully in support of democratic principles and aligned himself with pro-democracy advocates in Nigeria.
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“He identified with those of us in the trenches,” Akinyemi said, suggesting that Jackson’s stance reinforced international attention on Nigeria’s democratic struggle.
Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader and former U.S. presidential candidate, has long been recognised for his global advocacy on issues of democracy, racial equality and human rights.
Akinyemi’s reflections underscore the depth of his engagement with Nigeria during critical historical moments.
The remarks serve as a reminder of the enduring ties between Nigeria and influential global figures who have, at pivotal times, lent their voices to the country’s political and social struggles.