Na big gbege wey don happen as Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of di greatest civil rights warriors, don go join him ancestors. E die for Tuesday at di age of 84, surrounded by him pipo. Wetin be more touching na di way him family talk say, ‘Our papa na servant leader, not only to us but to di oppressed and di voiceless everywhere.’
Rev. Jesse Jackson na person wey no only stand for justice, egalitarianism, and love, but e also inspire multiply millions throughout him life. E don dey sick for more than a decade with one wahala wey dem dey call progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), wey dey affect how person fit waka and swallow. E don dey live with di condition since 2017, but e no let am stop him from fighting for di rights of di people.
Many pipo don come out to talk wetin dis baba do for di civil rights movement. Di Rev. Al Sharpton talk say, ‘As I dey watch am, I dey recall di greatness of dis man. E continue wetin Martin Luther King start and change di nation. No one wey don serve longer and pass him.’ E strong o! E even get public events wey dem go hold for Chicago to celebrate di legend.
Come see e background, Jesse Jackson born for Greenville, South Carolina on October 8, 1941. As e dey grow, him get passion for justice and equality. E begin to involve himself for di civil rights movement when him dey study at North Carolina A&T, and e don dey push di struggle since dem time. E dey with MLK on di day wey King die for Memphis in 1968, and from den, him no look back.
Dis man no just be orator, but e run for di Democratic presidential nomination twice, for 1984 and 1988. For di first round, e win over 18% of di primary votes, but e still no carry di crown. Four years later, e come fine-tune him approach, winning eleven primaries and becoming one of di voices wey everybody dey hear for di Democratic Party.
E don get plenty wahala for him campaign, like when e call some Jewish pipo ‘Hymies’ and refer New York as ‘Hymietown.’ Despite di controversies, e still dey shine bright like star. If you know say you been dey follow politics, you go understand say e don press for social programs, voting rights, and affirmative action work wey we still dey feel di impact today.
Just to show say e no dey slack for di work wey e dey do, Jackson don help release many Americans wey dey held for foreign countries, from Iraq to Syria and Cuba. President Bill Clinton even give am di Presidential Medal of Freedom for di work wey e do. Jackson na pioneer wey don reshape social justice and empower many voices wey no fit talk.
Di way Jackson dey inspire dem current leaders like Bernie Sanders show sey di “old man” still get di fire. Him dey gear dem up, tell dem sey di fight for justice no go ever end. Even as e get onlookers across di globe, Jesse Jackson legacy go forever dey shine for di hearts of many. Make we honor dis great man by continuing di fight for justice, equality and human rights.
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