42 Facts About Herbert Macaulay

Herbert Macaulay was born on 14 November 1864 on Broad Street, Lagos, to the family of Thomas Babington Macaulay and Abigail Crowther.

Herbert Macaulay's parents were children of people captured from what is Nigeria, resettled in Sierra Leone by the British West Africa Squadron, and eventual returnees to present day Nigeria.

Thomas Babington Herbert Macaulay was one of the sons of Ojo Oriare while Abigail Crowther was the daughter of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a descendant of King Abiodun.

Herbert Macaulay started primary school in 1869 and from 1877, he was educated at St Paul's Breadfruit School, Lagos and CMS Faji School, Lagos.

Herbert Macaulay was a student at the school when his father died in 1878.

Thereafter, with the support of the colonial administration, Herbert Macaulay left Lagos on 1 July 1890 to further his training in England.

Herbert Macaulay was an accomplished musician who received a certificate in music from Trinity College, London and a certificate in violin playing from Music International College, London.

Herbert Macaulay left the service as land inspector in September 1898 due to a growing distaste for the British rule of the Lagos Colony and the position of Yorubaland and the Niger Coast Protectorate as British protectorates.

Kristin Mann, citing British Colonial Government dispatches, notes that Herbert Macaulay behaved dishonestly, by using "his position as Surveyor of Crown Lands to help friends acquire crown grants and persecute enemies by granting their land to others".

Herbert Macaulay further writes that Macaulay "obtained crown grants under false names and then sold them at a profit".

Herbert Macaulay married Caroline Pratt, daughter of an African Superintendent of Police in December 1898.

Herbert Macaulay was reportedly the first Nigerian to own a motor car.

Herbert Macaulay was a member of the Association of Babalawos of Lagos.

Herbert Macaulay organized concerts and film shows at his residence on 8, Balbina Street in Yaba.

Herbert Macaulay was nicknamed "Wizard of Kirsten Hall" because of his ability to obtain classified information.

Herbert Macaulay ran a network of informants who he paid handsomely.

Many times, minutes from colonial government meetings would be leaked in newspapers that Herbert Macaulay was associated with.

Herbert Macaulay was one of the first Nigerian nationalists and for most of his life a strong opponent of many colonial policies.

Herbert Macaulay opposed colonial taxation to fund water supply in Lagos on the grounds of taxation without representation.

Herbert Macaulay was a major supporter of the House of Docemo in Lagos.

Herbert Macaulay supported the House of Docemo in its opposition to the water rate and colonial acquisition of Lagos lands.

Herbert Macaulay galvanized the Ilu Committee composed of the Oba of Lagos and traditional chiefs in Lagos to oppose some of the colonial policies.

Herbert Macaulay lost his appeal at the Supreme Court and took the case to the Privy Court Council in London.

Herbert Macaulay was Oluwa's private secretary in the trip to London.

In London, Herbert Macaulay presented himself as Oluwa's private secretary and as a representative of the Oba and in the capacity he made statements which the colonial authorities felt were inimical to their interests.

Herbert Macaulay wrote a piece titled Henry Carr Must Go.

Herbert Macaulay was barred from running for public office because of legal problems - he was convicted twice by the colonial government in Lagos; the first time for fraud, and the second time for sedition.

Herbert Macaulay's actions were uncovered by the authorities who tried him and sentenced him to two years in prison.

The historian Patrick Dele-Cole outlines evidence suggesting that Herbert Macaulay was unfairly persecuted at his 1913 trial.

Herbert Macaulay had obtained a court order to evict Robert Irving on 3 December 1912.

Additionally, Herbert Macaulay's lawyers encountered severe difficulties putting up a solid defense in the course of the case: as an example Herbert Macaulay's lawyers were unable to find the police magistrate anywhere in Lagos to obtain bail.

Herbert Macaulay was sixty-four years old at the time of this conviction and the imprisonment increased Herbert Macaulay's popularity within Nigeria.

Carr believed that Herbert Macaulay lacked integrity and was exploiting the House of Dosunmu for personal gain.

In Carr's diaries, he writes of Herbert Macaulay "Among all human monsters with whom we have been brought into contact none has displayed the devilish ingenuity of this man", concluding that Herbert Macaulay was a "crooked mind and dangerous fool".

Carr abhorred the political reality that Herbert Macaulay, who was barred from partaking in politics because of his criminal convictions, was a political kingmaker through Herbert Macaulay's control of the NNDP.

The level of the strife between both men was so caustic that in 1924, Herbert Macaulay published a malicious account titled "Henry Carr Must Go".

Herbert Macaulay believed Carr was responsible for the government's stubborn position on the Oba Eleko land case.

In 1944, Herbert Macaulay co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons together with Nnamdi Azikiwe and became its president.

In 1946, Herbert Macaulay fell ill in Kano and later died in Lagos.

Herbert Macaulay was buried at Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos on 11 May 1946.

The Herbert Macaulay Papers include a vast assortment of political pamphlets, newspapers, and government documents.

Herbert Macaulay was featured in the 1 Naira banknote since 1979 until 1991, when the note was replaced by a coin which portrays Herbert Macaulay.