NEWS
US Civil Rights Leader, Jesse Jackson Dies at 84
US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died aged 84 on Tuesday morning surrounded by relatives, according to a statement released by his family.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of the Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr,” the family said, adding he died “peacefully.
”His cause of death has not been released, but Jackson had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy and was in hospital late last year.
Tributes poured in for the prominent activist who twice ran to be Democrats’ presidential nominee, including from the first black US president, Barack Obama.
Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline and their children: Santita, Jesse Jr, Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline and Ashley.
In their statement, Jackson’s family said his “unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity”.
“A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilising millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history,” they added.
Along with working with Marting Luther King, Jr, and running for president in 1984 and 1988, Jackson is remembered as the founder of a nonprofit organisation focused on social justice and civil rights, the Rainbow PUSH coalition.
Calling Jackson a “true giant”, Obama said in a statement that Jackson’s “two historic runs for president” had “laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land”. Obama added that his wife Michelle “got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager”.
“For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history,” the Obamas also said in the statement.
“From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect.”
Jackson was admitted to hospital last November, and doctors said he had been diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) in April 2025, revising an earlier diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease that Jackson had said was made in 2015.
Both diseases affect the brain, nervous system, and muscle control and, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association and the group CurePSP, many people with PSP are initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s because a number of the symptoms overlap.
Born in 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became involved in politics at an early age. He rose to prominence in the 1960s as a leader in Martin Luther King, Jr’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was with King when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.
Over the course of his career, Jackson built a movement to bring America’s increasingly diverse population together, with a message that centred on poor and working-class Americans.
After his presidential runs, Jackson later positioned himself as an elder statesman within the Democratic Party.
His son Jesse Jackson, Jr is a former US congressman.
Shortly after his death was announced, politicians and other public figures took to social media to mourn the loss of Jackson.
US President Donald Trump said he knew Jackson “long before becoming president”.
“He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,'” Trump said. “He was very gregarious – Someone who truly loved people!”
Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, a former secretary of state, also shared tributes, saying they were friends with Jackson for “almost fifty years”.
“Reverend Jackson championed human dignity and helped create opportunities for countless people to live better lives,” they said in a statement.
House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Jackson “was a legendary voice for the voiceless,” in a tribute to the late civil rights leader posted on X.
“For decades, while laboring in the vineyards of the community, he inspired us to keep hope alive in the struggle for liberty and justice for all,” the Democrat said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the civil rights leader “never stopped demanding that America live up to its promise”.
“He marched, he ran, he organized and he preached justice without apology,” Mamdani said.
King’s daughter Bernice said Jackson had “devoted his life to lifting people in poverty, the marginalized, and those pushed to society’s edges”.
Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, who worked closely with Jackson during the civil rights movement, said Jackson was a “consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world”.
“He told us we were somebody and made us believe. I will always cherish him taking me under his wing, and I will forever try to do my part to keep hope alive,” Sharpton said.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi and Prince Interior Vocational Institute have taken a significant step toward strengthening entrepreneurship and practical skills development among its students aimed at training professional furniture artisans.
The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), is expected to produce over 500 furniture artisans within two years.
In her remarks during the signing of the MoU, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof.
Sa’adatu Liman said that the collaboration was one of the criteria for TETFUND guidelines in entrepreneurial development output.Liman commended the company for finding the institution a worthy and reliable partner for the entrepreneurial and vocational project.
According to her, the partnership will be beneficial to the entire university community.
Earlier, the Director of the university Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), Prof. Rashidah Olanrewaju, said the university students will benefit from about 50 different skills in the EDC.
She appreciated the company for the partnership and wished the partners a successful and fruitful collaboration.
The Chief Executive Officer, Prince Interior Vocational Institute, Emeka Owgueke explained that the programme targets the establishment of a medium-scale furniture workshop on campus.
He said that the workshop will be equipped with the basic machines to sustain production and reduce the university’s overhead costs on furniture procurement.
According to Owgueke, the partnership represents a shared vision to create opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire marketable skills and build sustainable businesses within the furniture and interior design industry.
He explained that participants in the programme will be exposed to the entire furniture production value chain, including raw material sourcing, product manufacturing, finishing, branding, marketing, and distribution.
He said under the agreement, students of the university will receive hands-on training in furniture making, interior product design, and business development.
” Under the agreement, university students will be enrolled at Prince Interior Vocational Institute to acquire hands-on, certified training in furniture making, interior product design, and business development.
He commended the leadership of the University for recognising the importance of vocational education and enterprise development in addressing youth unemployment and building a resilient local economy.
“We are deeply grateful to Prof. Sa’adatu Liman and the leadership of the Nasarawa State University for recognising our uniqueness and extending this incredible opportunity to us.
” This partnership is more than an academic arrangement — it is a shared commitment to opening doors for more young Nigerians to boldly step into their career journey, whether from scratch, brushing up existing skills, or upgrading to the next level in the interior and design space.”
Students gain profitability-focused mentorship covering production, pricing, branding, and distribution of furniture goods.
Pope Leo calls for a ceasefire and denounces “horrific violence” in the Middle East
Pope Leo XIV has called for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict as Israel and Iran continue to trade blows and the death toll across the region mounts.
“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire,” Leo said today after the Sunday Angelus prayer in Vatican City.
The first American pontiff said people in the region have been “suffering the horrific violence of war” for the past two weeks since the conflict broke out.
“Thousands of innocent people have been killed and many more forced to flee their homes. I once again offer my prayers to all those who have lost loved ones in the attacks that have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas,” he said.
Leo added that “violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace that the people are waiting for.”
FAAC Shares N1.894trn Feb Revenue to FG, States, LGCs
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
A total sum of N1.894 trillion, being February 2026 Federation Account Revenue, has been shared to the Federal Government, States and the Local Government Councils.
The revenue was shared at the March 2026 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja, according to a statement by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the weekend.
The N1.894 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N1.274 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N619.119 billion.
A communiqué issued by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) indicated that total gross revenue of N2.230 trillion was available in the month of February 2026. Total deduction for cost of collection was N77.302 billion while total transfers, refunds and savings was N259.078 billion.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion was received for the month of February 2026. This was lower than the sum of N1.957 trillion received in the preceding month by N395.138 billion.
Gross revenue of N668.450 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in February 2026. This was lower than the N1.083 trillion available in the month of January 2026 by N414.710 billion.
The communiqué stated that from the N1.894 trillion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received a total sum of N675.088 billion and the State Governments received a total sum of N651,525 billion.
The Local government Council received N456.467 billion, while the sum of N110.949 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting State as derivation revenue.
On the N1.274 trillion distributable statutory revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N613.174 billion and the State Governments received N311,010 billion.
The Local Government Councils received N239.776 billion and the sum of N110.949 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
From the N619.119 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N61.912 billion, the State Governments received N340.515 billion and the Local Government Councils received N216.692 billion.
In February 2026, Oil and Gas Royalty and Excise Duty increased significantly while Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), CGT and SDT and Value Added Tax (VAT) decreased substantially.
Import Duty and CET increased marginally
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