The family of the late Herbert Macaulay has commended President Bola Tinubu for granting the late politician a state pardon. However, they said that he deserved more national honour s and recognition than the pardon because of his contributions to national unity and attaining independence in Nigeria.
Briefing the press on behalf of the family, on Thursday in Lagos, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, flanked by Erelu Adeola Macaulay, Mr Lanre Oshodi, Ms Mayokun Thomas, Miss Kofoworola Macaulay, Miss Adeyinka Macaulay, Mr Ayo Ogunlana and Miss Turi Akerele, said Macaulay’s contribution to national unity cannot be overlooked.
Chief George said that while they appreciated that he was granted a state pardon, they 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 noted that Macaulay was harassed and humiliated by the British because he stood up against them and championed the cause of Nigerians, insisting that Nigerians were mature enough to rule themselves.
“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.
“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.
“He transformed politics from the parlour rooms of colonial officials into the streets and markets of Lagos Island. He made politics a people’s affair. And for that, he earned the title that endures to this day — the Father of Nigerian Nationalism.”
Chief George said 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.
“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,” he said.
