Henry Carr
Henry Carr (November 27, 1941 – May 29, 2015) was an American track and field athlete who won two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[Akinola Maja's house and Doherty Villa in Campos Square.
]
Private life
Macaulay married Caroline Pratt, daughter of an African Superintendent of Police in December 1898.magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
.taboos
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
, divinations, sacrifices, and other occult practices.Babalawo
Babaaláwo or Babalawo in West Africa (Babalao in Caribbean and South American Spanish and Babalaô in Brazilian Portuguese) literally means 'father of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language. It is a spiritual title that denotes a high priest o ...
s (Ifa
IFA or Ifa may refer to:
Organisations
Economics
* Independent financial adviser, a type of financial services professional in the UK
* Index Fund Advisors
* Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, representing actuaries in the UK
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priests) of Lagos.University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 19 ...
.
Opposition to British rule in colonial Nigeria
Prior to the beginning of the twentieth century, Macaulay associated with many Lagos socialites, worked as a private surveyor and had a moderate outlook about colonialism
Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colony, colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose the ...
. However, by the end of the 1800s, he had begun to veer from his professional and social activities to become a political activist. He joined the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines' Protection Society. Macaulay was an unlikely champion of the masses. A grandson of Ajayi Crowther, the first African bishop of the Niger Territory, he was born into a Lagos that was divided politically into groups arranged in a convenient pecking order – the British authorities who lived in the posh Marina district, the Saros and other slave descendants who lived to the west, and the Brazilians who lived behind the whites in the Portuguese Town. Behind all three lived the real Lagosians, the masses of indigenous Yoruba people, disliked and generally ignored by their privileged neighbours. It was not until Macaulay's generation that the Saros and Brazilians even began to contemplate making common cause with the masses.
Macaulay was one of the first Nigerian nationalists and for most of his life a strong opponent of many colonial policies. As a reaction to claims by the British that they were governing with "the true interests of the natives at heart", he wrote: "The dimensions of "the true interests of the natives at heart" are algebraically equal to the length, breadth and depth of the whiteman's pocket."
In 1908 he exposed European corruption in the handling of railway finances and in 1919 he argued successfully for the chiefs whose land had been taken by the colonial government in front of the Privy Council in London. As a result, the colonial government was forced to pay compensation to the chiefs.
In 1909, he came out publicly against the prohibition of spirits into Nigeria which he felt will ultimately lead to reduced government revenues and thereafter increased taxation. Macaulay also found himself in opposition to the colonial government in three major issues that were prominent in Lagos life during 1900–1930. The issues included the proposed water rate, selection of the Oba of Lagos and the Imamate of the Lagos Central Mosque. Macaulay opposed colonial taxation to fund water supply in Lagos on the grounds of taxation without representation. He was a major supporter of the House of Docemo in Lagos. Largely because Lagos was not under indirect rule
Indirect rule was a system of governance used by the British and others to control parts of their colonial empires, particularly in Africa and Asia, which was done through pre-existing indigenous power structures. Indirect rule was used by vario ...
, the Oba of Lagos unlike many of his counterparts in other areas of the country was stripped of many of his traditional authorities. Macaulay supported the House of Docemo in its opposition to the water rate and colonial acquisition of Lagos lands. He also galvanized the Ilu Committee composed of the Oba of Lagos
The Oba of Lagos, also known as the Eleko of Eko, is the traditional ruler ( Oba) of Lagos.
The Oba is a ceremonial Yoruba sovereign with no political power, but is sought as a counsel or sponsor by politicians who seek support from the resident ...
and traditional chiefs in Lagos to oppose some of the colonial policies.
Macaulay's profile in Lagos was enhanced by the Oluwa Land case. Amodu Tijani Oluwa, a traditional chief, had challenged the compulsory acquisition without compensation of his family land in Apapa
Apapa is a Local Government Area in Lagos, located to the west of Lagos Island. Apapa contains a number of ports and terminals operated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), including the major port of Lagos State and Lagos Port Complex (LPC ...
. He lost his appeal at the Supreme Court and took the case to the Privy Court Council in London. Macaulay was Oluwa's private secretary in the trip to London. Oluwa's case was supported by the Ilu Committee and the Oba who were interested in the protection of their family lands in Lagos. In London, 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. In 1920, the Eleko, Eshungbayi was ostracized by the British because he refused to disavow allegations against the colonial authorities made by Macaulay in London.
To further his political activities, Macaulay co-founded the ''Nigerian Daily News'', a platform he used to write opinion pieces such as ''Justitia Fiat: The Moral Obligation of the British Government to the House of Docemo''. He also wrote a piece titled ''Henry Carr Must Go''. From 1923 to 1938, he became a prominent figure in many important political issues in Lagos including the elections into the quinquennial elections into the Legislative Council, triennial elections to the Lagos Town Council, and the headship of the House of Docemo. In his political activities, he relied on the ''Lagos Daily News'', the Lagos Market Women Association led by his ally, Alimotu Pelewura, the House of Docemo and many uneducated Lagosians. His political opinions divided many Lagos elites as he used the ''Daily News'' to publicly vilify his opponents and former friends such as Henry Carr.
On 24 June 1923, he founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party
The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) was Nigeria's first political party.
Formed in 1923 by Herbert Macaulay to take advantage of the new Clifford Constitution, which succeeded the 1914 Nigerian Council. The NNDP successfully organized ...
(NNDP), the first Nigerian political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...
.
Support for British rule in colonial Nigeria
In 1931, relations between Macaulay and the British began to improve up to the point that the governor even held conferences with Macaulay.
In October 1938, the more radical Nigerian Youth Movement The Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) was Nigeria's first genuine nationalist organization, founded in Lagos at Stanley Orogun, with Professor Eyo Ita as the founding father and many others, including Samuel Akisanya.
Ernest Ikoli, the first editor of ...
fought and won elections for the Lagos Town Council, ending the dominance of Macaulay and his National Democratic Party. [31.html" ;"title="/Herbert_Macaulay#cite_note-FOOTNOTEColeman1971225-31 [31">/Herbert_Macaulay#cite_note-FOOTNOTEColeman1971225-31 [31/nowiki>]
Legal problems
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.
Misappropriation of funds
After going into private practice as a surveyor and architect, Macaulay faced some financial difficulty and misappropriated funds from an estate he served as executor for. His 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 Macaulay was unfairly persecuted at his 1913 trial. The prosecuting counsel, one Robert Irving, was Herbert Macaulay's tenant who may have pursued a private vendetta. Macaulay had obtained a court order to evict
Robert Irving on 3 December 1912. Additionally, Macaulay's lawyers encountered severe difficulties putting up a solid defense in the course of the case: as an example Macaulay's lawyers were unable to find the police magistrate anywhere in Lagos to obtain bail. Other incidents include the acting Chief Justice fining Macaulay £100 despite the five assessors in the court returning a not guilty verdict. Cole also underscores Macaulay's scrupulous transparency regarding the trust. According to Cole "the will of the testatrix was read in public at the request of Macaulay and the loan he obtained in order to clear the debts of the testatrix was explained to the beneficiaries of the will (Macaulay's niece was the principal beneficiary and she certainly did not engage Irving to prosecute the case), yet he was convicted of 'intent to defraud'". Finally, Cole notes that Macaulay's sentence of five years was "unusually severe".
Gunpowder Plot
Macaulay's second legal problem centered on what came to be the "Gunpowder Plot Case". When the
Privy Council decided that the exiled Oba
Eshugbayi Eleko
Oba Eshugbayi Eleko (died 1932), alias ''"Eleko of Eko"'', was the Oba of Lagos from 1901 to 1925, and from 1931 to 1932. His father was Oba Dosunmu. Eleko's struggles and legal victory over the British colonial government symbolized the struggle ...
could apply for a writ of
habeas corpus
''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
from one judge to another, Lagos went wild with excitement because it indicated that the popular Oba would be reinstated. Macaulay's ''Lagos Daily News'' published a rumor that because of the Privy Council's decision, the British colonial government in Lagos planned to blow up Oba Eleko's vehicle.
For the Gunpowder Plot Case Macaulay was sentenced to six months in prison (at
Broad Street Prison) with hard labor without the option for a fine. Macaulay was sixty-four years old at the time of this conviction and the imprisonment increased Macaulay's popularity within Nigeria.
Feud with Henry Carr
It is unclear how the fierce hatred between Macaulay and
Henry Carr
Henry Carr (November 27, 1941 – May 29, 2015) was an American track and field athlete who won two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[Dosunmu
Dosunmu (c. 1823 – 1885), referred to in British documents as Docemo, reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1853, when he succeeded his father Oba Akitoye, until his own death in 1885. He was forced to run away to Britain under the threat of force in A ...]
for personal gain.
In Carr's diaries, he writes of Macaulay "Among all human monsters with whom we have been brought into contact none has displayed the devilish ingenuity of this man", concluding that Macaulay was a "crooked mind and dangerous fool". Carr abhorred the political reality that Macaulay, who was barred from partaking in politics because of his criminal convictions, was a political kingmaker through Macaulay's control of the
NNDP.
The level of the strife between both men was so caustic that in 1924, Macaulay published a malicious account titled "Henry Carr Must Go".
In the slanderous publication, Macaulay falsely asserted that Carr's father, Amuwo Carr deserted his wife to settle in Abeokuta as a polygamist. This was untrue considering Amuwo Carr died in Abeokuta of poor health and was nearly blind. Macaulay's vicious attacks on Carr in the press framed the Lagosian public's perception of Carr as shy, distant, and aloof.
Macaulay, on the other hand, believed Carr was behind political divisions in Lagos. He believed Carr was responsible for the government's stubborn position on the Oba
Eleko land case. In the pamphlet "Henry Carr Must Go", Macaulay writes of Carr "He has been without any possible doubt whatsoever, the Head Centre, the
King Pin, the very mainspring of what his own flatterers choose to call powerful influence or official support behind the renowned articulate minority on whose side Mr. Carr has along flung the whole weight of his official prestige, manifesting thereby an intolerable partisanship...deadly and detestable".
Twilight years and death
In 1944, Macaulay co-founded the
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) later changed to the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens, was a Nigerian nationalist political party from 1944 to 1966, during the period leading up to independence and immediately ...
(NCNC) together with
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the ...
and became its president.
The NCNC was a patriotic organization designed to bring together Nigerians of all stripes to demand independence.
In 1946, Macaulay fell ill in
Kano
Kano may refer to:
Places
*Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria
* Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State
**Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries
**Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
and later died in
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
. Macaulay's reported last words were:
"Tell the National Council delegates to halt wherever they are for four days for Macaulay and then carry on.
Tell Oged to keep the flag flying"
The leadership of the NCNC went to Azikiwe, who later became the first president of Nigeria. Macaulay was buried at
Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos on 11 May 1946. Nnamdi Azikiwe delivered a funeral oration at Macaulay's burial ceremony
and Isaac Babalola Thomas, editor and proprietor of the ''Akede Eko'', was executor of
Macaulay's Last Will and Testament.
Macaulay papers at the University of Ibadan Library
Like his political foe Henry Rawlingson Carr whose library and papers are at the University of Ibadan Library, Macaulay's private collection called The Macaulay Papers are at the African Section of the University of Ibadan Library. The Macaulay Papers include a vast assortment of political pamphlets, newspapers, and government documents. They also include personal papers, correspondences, diaries, and photographs.
Honours
Macaulay was featured in the 1
Naira
The naira (sign: ₦; code: NGN) is the currency of Nigeria. One naira is divided into 100 ''kobo''.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the sole issuer of legal tender money throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It controls the volume ...
banknote since 1979 until 1991, when the note was replaced by a coin, also portraying Macaulay.
Nigeria 1 Naira 1979-1991
Bank note museum
A biopic titled ''The Herbert Macaulay Affair
''The Herbert Macaulay Affair'' is a 2019 Nigerian film based on the life of Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist and proponent of Nigerian independence. It was directed by Imoh Umoren and featured William Benson in the lead role alongside S ...
'' which covered about 3 decades of his life was made by Nigerian filmmaker, Imoh Umoren and released in 2019.
References
Sources
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Macaulay, Herbert
1864 births
1946 deaths
CMS Grammar School, Lagos alumni
Politicians from Lagos
Nigerian Anglicans
Nigerian people of Sierra Leone Creole descent
Nigerian people of Sierra Leonean descent
Sierra Leone Creole people
Nigerian National Democratic Party politicians
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons politicians
Yoruba politicians
History of Lagos
19th-century Nigerian politicians
20th-century Nigerian politicians
Saro people
Aku (ethnic group)
People of colonial Nigeria
Abiodun family
Burials at Ikoyi Cemetery
Nigerian revolutionaries
Nigerian nationalists
Yoruba architects
20th-century Nigerian engineers
Yoruba musicians
Nigerian male musicians
20th-century Nigerian architects
20th-century Nigerian musicians
Yoruba journalists
20th-century Nigerian writers
Nigerian journalists
Alumni of Trinity College of Music
Architects from Lagos
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19th-century Nigerian musicians
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19th-century male musicians