General News
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Tinubu Sends Envoys to Deliver Condolences
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a five-member delegation to represent Nigeria at the funeral of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the renowned American civil rights leader, activist, and former presidential candidate, who passed away on February 17, 2026, in Chicago at the age of 84.
The delegation is led by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and includes 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.
The team will deliver President Tinubu’s condolences to the Jackson family and honour the late leader’s enduring contributions to global justice and African liberation.
In a prior tribute, President Tinubu hailed Rev. Jackson “a great friend of Nigeria and Africa,” emphasizing his role as a moral voice and a formidable opponent of apartheid in South Africa. “He played a leading role in the campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress leaders and was instrumental in securing international support for sanctions against the apartheid regime,” the president wrote.
The burial proceedings began on February 26 with a lying-in-state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago. Additional services were held in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., including a lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse from March 1-5.
The events will conclude with a “People’s Celebration” at the House of Hope in Chicago on March 6, followed by a private homegoing ceremony on March 7 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
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President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former president and elder statesman Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as he celebrates his 89th birthday on March 5.
In a statement conveyed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu highlighted Obasanjo’s enduring influence in Nigeria, across Africa, and beyond. He praised the former leader for his courage and sacrifices, noting Obasanjo’s tenure as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979, when he handed over power to a civilian government, and later as the first civilian president of the Fourth Republic from 1999 to 2007.
President Tinubu also acknowledged Obasanjo’s historic contributions, including leading troops to preserve Nigeria’s unity during wartime, enduring imprisonment for speaking out against tyranny, and championing Africa’s political and economic interests.
“As Chief Obasanjo turns 89, we celebrate the zeal and wisdom he has brought to Nigeria’s development through his writings and interventions, reflecting a deep patriotism and commitment to nation-building,” the statement said.
The President prayed for continued good health, strength, and wisdom for the former president as he continues to serve the nation and humanity.
Iran is set to hold a multi-day farewell ceremony for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, beginning Wednesday night in the capital, Tehran, according to state media.
Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of the Islamic Propagation Council, announced that the public memorial will last three days, while details of the funeral procession will be disclosed at a later time.
Citizens will be allowed to pay their respects at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, also known as the Mosalla, starting from 10 p.m. (1830 GMT). Officials encouraged large public participation, describing the ceremony as an opportunity for Iranians to once again demonstrate unity and national presence.
Khamenei, who led Iran for decades and anchored his leadership on strong opposition to the United States and Israel, was reportedly killed on Saturday at the age of 86 in airstrikes carried out by Israeli and U.S. forces, according to Iranian state media.
His death marks a significant turning point in Iran’s political and religious leadership, with authorities yet to formally announce further details regarding succession and burial arrangements.
The United States military on Tuesday released the identities of four of the first American service members killed in the escalating war with Iran, as officials warned that further casualties are likely amid intensifying hostilities.
The four soldiers were members of the U.S. Army Reserve and served with the 103rd Sustainment Command, based in Des Moines. They were among six U.S. military personnel confirmed dead so far in the conflict.
According to the Pentagon, the soldiers were killed on Sunday when a drone struck a U.S. military installation in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. The victims ranged in age from 20 to 42 and were part of the Army’s global logistics and supply operations.
The military identified the fallen soldiers as:
Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven
Sergeant 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue
Sergeant 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake
Sergeant Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines
Coady, who enlisted in 2023, was posthumously promoted from specialist.
In a statement, Major General Todd Erskine, commander of the 79th Theater Sustainment Command, expressed his condolences, extending “my deepest sympathy and my respect” to the families and fellow service members of the deceased.
Most of the soldiers had prior overseas deployments. Khork had served in Saudi Arabia in 2018, at Guantanamo Bay in 2021, and in Poland in 2024. Amor previously deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. Tietjens had earlier deployments to Kuwait in 2009 and 2019.
President Donald Trump and other senior officials have cautioned that additional American military deaths could occur as Iran continues retaliatory strikes following joint U.S.-Israeli operations.
The U.S. Central Command reported Tuesday that Iran has launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones across the Middle East in response to the strikes, significantly widening the scope of the conflict.