Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has announced that she has successfully raised about ₦20.5 billion through her birthday education fund initiative to complete and rehabilitate the National Library headquarters in Abuja.
The First Lady, who recently marked her birthday, had appealed to friends, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians to donate toward the project instead of giving her personal gifts.
According to her office, the funds will be directed toward completing the long-abandoned library complex and upgrading its facilities to meet international standards.
Speaking during the announcement, Mrs. Tinubu said the initiative was inspired by her commitment to education and literacy in Nigeria. “I believe every Nigerian child deserves access to a functional, world-class library.
This is my birthday gift to the nation,” she said, adding that the project would encourage a culture of reading among the youth and improve access to research materials.
However, the development has sparked mixed reactions. Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, criticized the initiative, arguing that it reflects a failure of governance.
Obi said it was troubling that the government had to rely on private donations for such a crucial national project. “The rehabilitation of the National Library should be a budgetary priority, not something citizens must fund through charity,” he stated.
Supporters of the First Lady praised the effort as a creative approach to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges, while others joined Obi in insisting that public facilities should be funded through government allocations rather than philanthropy.
The National Library headquarters project has been under construction since 2006 and has suffered years of delay due to funding issues. The ₦20.5 billion fund is expected to accelerate its long-awaited completion.
