Herbert Macaulay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Herbert Macaulay (1864-1946) was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, engineer, journalist, and musician.
He was the grandson of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria.
Born in Lagos, he completed his education in christian missionary schools. After completing school, he took a job as a clerk at the Lagos Department of Public Works. From 1891 to 1894 he studied civil engineering in England. On his return, he worked for the Crown as a land inspector. He left his position in 1898 due to growing distaste for Nigeria's position as a British colony.
Macaulay worked as a journalist and wrote articles that were critical of the colonial administration. On June 24, 1923, he founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), the first Nigerian political party. Macaulay became editor in chief of the party newspaper, the Lagos Daily News. Because of its anti-colonial attitude, he was arrested twice.
On August 26, 1944 he, along with Nnamdi Azikiwe, created the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). He remained secretary-general of this movement until his death in 1946. His portrait adorned Nigeria's one naira currency note, which is now out of circulation and replaced with a one naira coin.
