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…he should have been honoured seperately, says George
The family of the foremost nationalist, the late Herbert Macaulay, yesterday thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for pardoning him through the prerogative of mercy.
But the family said the President should have isolated the eminent Lagosian and honoured him seperately, instead of lumping him with ex-criminals on the pardon list.
A relation, Chief Olabode George, told reporters in Lagos that Macaulay deserved special honour because he was the father of Nigerian nationalism.
At the press conference were Macaulay’s descendants, including Adeola Macaulay, Mr. Lanre Oshodi, Ms. Mayokun Thomas, Miss Kofoworola Macaulay, Miss Adeyinka Macaulay, Mr. Ayo Ogunlana and Miss Turi Akerele.
Macaulay, who was born in 1864, was the grandson of the first Anglican bishop in West Africa, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, and son of Selaas Macaulay, missionary-founder of the CMS Grammar School, Lagos.
A surveyor, town planner and journalist, he was the founder of the first Nigerian political party – the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), on which platform he was elected into the Nigerian Legislative Council in Lagos.
Macaulay, who supported Eleko Esugbayi of Lagos in his battle against the colonial government, died of illness in 1946 in Lagos after returning from his tour of Kano and other areas in the North.
Paying tribute to his memory, George recalled that he mentored Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe, who cooperated with him in building the National Council of Nigeria and Cameron (NCNC) that won Lagos Island and Mainland constituency seats in the Central Legislative Council.
He said his house on Lagos Island was demolished after his death by the colonial masters who built the post office on the plot.
George said, “They should not lump him with people of shaddy characters. He deserved to be isolated and honoured seperately.
“He was never a tribalist and he was not a religious bigot. He was a nationalist. He deserves better than lumping him with drug barons.”
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