Macaulay’s Family Hails Tinubu’s Pardon, Demands Higher Honour

The family of the late Nigerian nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for granting him a state pardon, but has argued that his contributions to the nation merit more significant recognition.

The family’s position was delivered at a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday by Chief Olabode George, a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was flanked by several of Macaulay’s descendants.

While acknowledging the presidential pardon, Chief George voiced the family’s discontent that the honour was not singular. He contended that Macaulay’s legacy was diminished by being grouped with individuals convicted of serious crimes.

“We appreciated that he was granted a state pardon,” George stated, “But we were not happy that his pardon was lumped with people of shady characters like drug barons and murderers, insisting that he should have been singled out for recognition and honour.”

He elaborated on Macaulay’s foundational role in the fight for Nigeria’s independence, describing him as a figure who was persecuted by the colonial authorities for his activism.

“Herbert Macaulay understood something fundamental — that political freedom is meaningless without social justice. He spoke up for the working class, the market women, the artisans, and the dispossessed,” George said.

“He was the bridge between the educated elite and the ordinary Nigerian. He believed that leadership must not be about privilege, but about purpose. In his time, he took risks — he was imprisoned twice by the colonial government, yet he never wavered.”

The family proposed concrete measures to properly honour Macaulay’s memory, suggesting the restoration of his historic residence, which was demolished by the British government.

“A better way to honour Macaulay was to rebuild his house, which the British government demolished, and build the General Post Office in his stead. He insisted that it would serve as a national monument,” Chief George told journalists.

He concluded by affirming the enduring relevance of Macaulay’s ideals, stating, “Herbert Macaulay’s legacy is not confined to history books or monuments. His ideas remain alive in every debate about governance, equity, and national identity in Nigeria today.”