JUST IN: Herbert Macaulay’s Family Rejects Tinubu’s Posthumous State Pardon, Condemns Inclusion Among “Drug Barons and Murd£rers”
JUST IN: Herbert Macaulay’s Family Rejects Tinubu’s Posthumous State Pardon, Condemns Inclusion Among “Drug Barons and Murderers”
The family of the late Nigerian nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, has reportedly rejected the posthumous state pardon granted to their patriarch by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, expressing outrage that his name appeared on a list containing convicted drug barons, murderers, and other criminal offenders.
In a statement released on Saturday, members of the Macaulay family described the move as a “national embarrassment” and an insult to the legacy of the man often regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism.
According to them, Herbert Macaulay who devoted his life to the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and the emancipation of the black race—does not deserve to be grouped with individuals convicted of heinous crimes.
The family stated that Herbert Samuel Heelas Macaulay was never a criminal but a freedom fighter and the voice of the oppressed, adding that including his name on a list that features drug barons and murderers is an affront to his legacy and to Nigeria’s history.
They further urged the federal government to immediately withdraw his name from the controversial pardon list, adding that the gesture “lacks historical understanding and moral sensitivity.”
The presidency had earlier announced a list of pardoned individuals, including several deceased national figures and others convicted of various crimes, as part of a national reconciliation and justice reform initiative.
However, the decision has since sparked mixed reactions across the country, with critics describing it as a public relations disaster that undermines the gravity of national honors.
Historians have also weighed in, saying that Herbert Macaulay’s place in Nigerian history is unquestionable, and that his inclusion in a pardon list is unnecessary, since he was never convicted of any crime that would require forgiveness.
As the controversy deepens, Nigerians on social media have echoed the family’s stance, accusing the government of politicizing history and eroding the dignity of Nigeria’s founding fathers.
