President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a posthumous pardon to Herbert Macaulay, regarded as Nigeria’s first nationalist, more than a century after his conviction by the British colonial government in 1913.

The pardon forms part of a wider presidential clemency exercise involving 175 individuals and was approved at a Council of State meeting in Abuja.

According to the presidency, the action reflects the administration’s decision to address historical injustices, including those that occurred under colonial rule.

Macaulay, a trained civil engineer and grandson of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, was imprisoned for alleged misappropriation of funds in a land trust case in Lagos.

Historians have long argued that the charge was politically motivated and aimed at silencing one of the earliest critics of colonial authority.

In announcing the pardon, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the measure goes beyond clemency, describing it as a correction of historical wrongs that affected early Nigerian patriots.

The Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General Prince Lateef Fagbemi, reviewed the cases of several individuals convicted under colonial or military-era laws before recommending the pardons.

Macaulay founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1923 and later co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) with Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Both parties were instrumental in advancing the country’s political awareness and agitation for self-government.

Historians view the pardon as an important gesture in recognising the struggles of early nationalists. Dr Chika Okoye of the University of Lagos said the move acknowledges that many figures once labelled as offenders were, in reality, advocates for justice and equality under colonial rule.

The clemency list also includes other notable names such as Ken Saro-Wiwa, Major General Mamman Vatsa, and several deceased citizens.