A Cursory look at the Life and Time of Herbert Macaulay

Herbert Macaulay was born on the 4th November,1864 in Lagos. He was the grandson of Bishop Ajayi Crowther. Herbert was educated in Lagos and Britain, where he qualified as a surveyor and Engineer. It was in his field of politics that he made his hallmark. He also established the Lagos Daily News in year 1925.The title of two of his famous pamphlet were Antithesis on the public lands Acquisition Ordinances in year 1945 and open connection upon the views on Nigerian public affairs expressed in London by Dr John Randle.

He became the government chief critic as he constantly agitated for one measure after another for almost 40 years; he campaigned against a number of government ordinaries, culminating in the deficiencies of the Richards constitution. 1923 when he was 60years old, he founded the Nigeria National Democratic Party. The party won elections into the dominant force until year 1938. Also, into the legislative council in 1928,1933.

On the 26^th of August 1944, Herebert Macaulay prevailed upon establishing a new party known as the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons. He championed the cause of the less privileged in Nigeria between Eshugbayi and government of Nigeria in year 1928. Herbert Macaulay was imprisoned twice and he was once imprisoned for criminal libel.

Herbert Macaulay political activities was not confined to Nigeria alone, he held a Pan African concept and played a major role behind the scene in the activities of National Congress of British West Africa

Herbert Macaulay died while on a countryside campaign with Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Michael Imoudu in Kano in 1946 from where he was taken to Lagos for burial.