On October 17, 2025, the family of the late Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay, led by PDP chieftain Olabode George, rejected President Bola Tinubu’s decision to include Macaulay in a presidential pardon list, arguing it wrongly places him alongside convicted criminals like drug traffickers and murderers.
Speaking at a Lagos press conference, George emphasized that Macaulay, a patriot and founder of Nigeria’s first political party, the NNDP in 1923, deserves a distinct national honor.
George highlighted Macaulay’s legacy as a visionary who fought colonial injustice through the Lagos Daily News, defended Oba Eshugbayi Eleko, and co-founded the NCNC with Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1944 to advance independence. He called for memorials, scholarships, and civic programs to reflect Macaulay’s values of integrity and service, not a pardon implying criminality.
The pardon, announced last week, included figures like Farouk Lawan and Maryam Sanda, sparking public criticism for seemingly condoning serious crimes. Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi noted the list of 175 beneficiaries is under review. The family urged leaders to embody Macaulay’s principles, stressing his death in 1946 was in service to national unity, not as a felon.
