The Herbert Macaulay Affair
{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| image = The Herbert Macaulay Affair poster.jpg
| director = Imoh Umoren
| editing = Olutayo Odugbesan
| writer = Bisi Jamgbadi
| starring = William Benson
Saidi Balogun
| studio = Rucksack Productionz
| distributor = TRACE Content Distribution
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2019|10|25|Nigeria}}
| runtime = 90 minutes
| country = Nigeria
| language = English
}}
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 Saidi Balogun, Kelechi Udegbe and Martha Ehinome Orhiere. T
Plot
The Herbert Macaulay Affair is set in 1920s Lagos during the Bubonic plague. It portrays Herbert Macaulay trying to call Nigerians to action in order to confront their oppressors. He leads protests and writes anti-colonial articles in newspapers. The film starts by depicting Macaulay's 1893 return from studying in Plymouth. He takes up a surveying job in service of the colonial administration. The workings of the colonial administration frustrate Macaulay, leading him to a life of rebellion.{{Cite web|last=Toromade|first=Samson|date=2019-10-28|title=The Herbert Macaulay Affair movie review|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/the-herbert-macaulay-affair-movie-review/e0rzhe6|access-date=2021-10-23|website=Pulse Nigeria|language=en}}
Cast
- William Benson as Herbert Macaulay
- Saidi Balogun as Eleko
- Kelechi Udegbe
- Martha Ehinome Orhiere
- Tubosun Ayedun
- Sunday Afolabi
- Mary Kowo as Alimotu Pelewura
- Phillip Jarman
- Stanley Matthews
- Obiora Maduegbuna
- Lolo Eremie
- Wale Macaulay
Crew
- Director - Imoh Umoren
- Writer - Bisi Jamgbadi
- Editor - Olutayo Odugbesan
- Cinematography - Yemi Adeojo
- Gaffer - Sunday Olalekan
- Make-Up - Nneka Emekalam
- Costume - Seun Banjo
- Technical Coordinator - Dewumi Adedamola
Themes
Production and release
The film explores about 3 decades of Herbert Macaulay's life where he continually rebels against the colonial government. Imo Umoren was inspired to make The Herbert Macaulay Affair while working on a documentary chronicling the 100 year history of Nigerian national figures.
Some scenes in the film were shot in Jaekel House and Mapo Hall.{{Cite web|last=Ibiyemi|first=Ayodele|date=2020-01-19|title=The Herbert Macaulay Affair: A Sign of Things that Should come –Ayodele Ibiyemi|url=https://thelagosreview.ng/the-herbert-macaulay-affair-a-sign-of-things-that-should-come-ayodele-ibiyemi/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=The Lagos Review|language=en-US}}
Reception
A writer for Pulse Nigeria noted that films like The Herbert Macaulay Affair can help bridge a gap in teaching history to Nigerians as there was a preexisting misconception that Herbert Macaulay was a white man. A reviewer for YNaija however commented that the film was one of the most memorable flops of the year 2019 due to "tepid technical details matched with a half-baked screenplay and wooden actors."{{Cite web|last=Okiche|first=Wilfred|date=2019-12-13|title=#YNaija2019Review: 1929, Herbert Macaulay Affair, Makate Must Sell…disappointing films of the year » YNaija|url=https://ynaija.com/ynaija2019review-1929-love-is-war-makate-must-sellthe-most-disappointing-films-of-the-year/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=YNaija|language=en-GB}}
References
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External links
{{IMDb title|id=12639568}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbert Macaulay Affair, The}}
Category:English-language Nigerian films
Category:Nigerian films based on actual events
Category:Biographical films about politicians
Category:Films set in the 1920s
Category:2010s English-language films
Category:2019 biographical drama films