President Bola Tinubu has approved a presidential prerogative of mercy for Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and 174 other individuals across different categories.
The announcement followed a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who submitted the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy during the National Council of State meeting held on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Macaulay, widely regarded as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was twice convicted by colonial authorities in Lagos. In 1913, while practising as a private surveyor, he was accused of misappropriating funds from an estate he administered and was subsequently jailed—a conviction many historians believe was politically motivated.
The presidential pardon is viewed as a symbolic act to honour the legacy of one of Nigeria’s earliest freedom advocates and to reaffirm the government’s commitment to national reconciliation and justice
