Family faults inclusion of Herbert Macaulay in presidential pardon list

…Says helium deserved much than clemency

By Dapo Akinrefon

The Herbert Macaulay household of Lagos, connected Thursday, broke its soundlessness implicit the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to their patriarch saying the clemench should not person been lumped up with cause barons, ex-convicts and murderers.

The household besides urged the Federal Government to reconstruct the bequest of the archetypal nationalist who was unjustly convicted for his governmental activism successful the country.

The family, led by erstwhile Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, who is simply a large expansive nephew of the nationalist urged President Tinubu to immortalise Herbert Macaulay alternatively than a granting him a statesmanlike pardon.

President Tinubu had precocious gave Presidential pardon to 175 ex-convicts successful which Macaulay was included arsenic a prerogative of mercy.

The PDP leader, who addressed newsmen astatine his Ikoyi residence, urged the Federal Government to rebuild Macaulay’s location astatine Marina which was demolished by colonists to physique the General Post Office Building connected Marina.

Members of Macaulay household contiguous astatine the property league included, Erelu Adeola Macaulay, Mr. Lanre Oshodi, Ms. Mayokun Thomas, Miss Kofoworola Macaulay, Miss Adeyinka Macaulay, Mr. Ayo Ogunlana and Miss Turi Akerele, who are each 4th and 5th procreation descendants of the sage, said that his bequest should not beryllium allowed to beryllium erase.

George noted that the precocious begetter of Nigeria nationalism who founded the archetypal governmental enactment successful Nigeria1923, Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), deserved much than clemency but due honour.

His words: “In 1908, Macaulay’s increasing disapproval of British policies recovered a nationalist level done his engagement successful the Lagos Daily News, a insubstantial helium co-founded to service arsenic the dependable of the voiceless. The paper became his limb — a limb of information and advocacy. He utilized it to exposure corruption, radical discrimination, and economical exploitation.

“In 1912, helium took up the origin of the Eleko of Lagos, Oba Eshugbayi Eleko, against the assemblage authorities successful what became 1 of the defining governmental struggles of the time. The Eleko, arsenic the spiritual and accepted person of Lagos, had been stripped of authorization and humiliated by the assemblage administration. Macaulay defended the Eleko — not lone successful Lagos but adjacent earlier the Privy Council successful London. He won that lawsuit successful 1928 — a motivation and governmental triumph that inspired generations.

“By 1898, helium resigned from authorities service, choosing alternatively to go a backstage surveyor — and a relentless professional of assemblage misrule. Through his writings, his speeches, and his activism, helium began to awaken a sleeping people.

“He witnessed however the resources of Nigeria were siphoned disconnected to enrich the metropole, however section voices were silenced, and however the dignity of Africans was routinely trampled upon. His conscience rebelled.”

“Herbert Macaulay understood thing cardinal — that governmental state is meaningless without societal justice. He spoke up for the moving class, the marketplace women, the artisans, and the dispossessed.

“He was the span betwixt the educated elite and the mean Nigerian. He believed that enactment indispensable not beryllium astir privilege, but astir purpose. In his time, helium took risks — helium was imprisoned doubly by the assemblage government, yet helium ne'er wavered.

“He transformed authorities from the parlor rooms of assemblage officials into the streets and markets of Lagos Island. He made authorities a people’s affair. And for that, helium earned the rubric that endures to this time — the Father of Nigerian Nationalism.

“As the nationalist question matured, Macaulay’s imaginativeness recovered caller beingness done his confederation with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a younger, fiery writer and governmental thinker. Together, they co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) successful 1944 — a question that would aboriginal go the ascendant nationalist enactment starring Nigeria toward independence.

“In his time, Macaulay was vilified by the assemblage press, labeled a troublemaker, adjacent imprisoned. But past has vindicated him. Integrity, aft all, is not astir popularity — it is astir principle.

“Her...