The family of Herbert Macaulay, Nigeria’s revered nationalist and founder of the country’s first political party, has publicly rejected President Bola Tinubu’s recent pardon of their patriarch, arguing that his legacy should not be “lumped” with those of drug barons, ex-convicts, and murderers.
In a passionate press conference held Thursday at the Ikoyi residence of Chief Olabode George, a great-grandnephew and former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Macaulay family called for the Federal Government to immortalize the iconic figure rather than merely granting him clemency for colonial-era convictions.
President Tinubu’s recent prerogative of mercy, which pardoned 175 ex-convicts including Macaulay, sparked the family’s outrage.
They argued that the nationalist, unjustly convicted for his political activism against British colonial rule, deserves recognition as a hero, not a posthumous pardon alongside common criminals.
“Herbert Macaulay was the father of Nigerian nationalism, not a felon,” George declared, flanked by fourth- and fifth-generation descendants, including Erelu Adeola Macaulay, Lanre Oshodi, Mayokun Thomas, Kofoworola Macaulay, Adeyinka Macaulay, Ayo Ogunlana, and Turi Akerele.
“His name should not be tainted by association with drug lords and murderers.”
The family urged the government to restore Macaulay’s legacy through tangible actions, including rebuilding his historic residence at Marina, Lagos, which was demolished by colonial authorities to make way for the General Post Office.
“That house was a symbol of resistance, a hub for the ideas that birthed Nigeria’s independence movement,” George said.
“It must be restored to honor the man who dared to dream of a free Nigeria.”Macaulay, born in 1864, founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1923, laying the groundwork for Nigeria’s anti-colonial struggle.
His activism, particularly through the Lagos Daily News, a newspaper he co-founded in 1908, made him a thorn in the side of British authorities.
The paper, described by George as a “weapon of truth and advocacy,” exposed corruption, racial discrimination, and economic exploitation, earning Macaulay both admiration and persecution.
His 1913 conviction on trumped-up charges of sedition was a colonial tactic to silence him, the family argued, making Tinubu’s pardon an inadequate gesture.
“Herbert Macaulay deserves more than clemency—he deserves immortalization,” George insisted.
He proposed a national monument, a museum, or a university named after Macaulay to educate future generations about his contributions.
“This is the man who gave voice to the voiceless, who founded the first political party that united Nigerians against oppression. His legacy must not be erased.”
The press conference, attended by Lagos elites and historians, reignited debates over Nigeria’s treatment of its founding figures.
Erelu Adeola Macaulay, a fourth-generation descendant, tearfully recounted stories of her ancestor’s sacrifices, urging the government to act swiftly.
“We are not asking for a favor; we are demanding justice for a man who fought for Nigeria’s soul,” she said.
The Tinubu administration is yet to respond to the family’s demands, but the pardon has drawn mixed reactions.
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