Nigerian First Lady Oluremi Tinubu
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has pushed back against claims that her 65th birthday fundraising campaign for the completion of the long-abandoned National Library project is politically motivated.
Speaking through her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that her initiative is rooted in her lifelong belief in education, shaped by her own experience as a teacher.
“What is wrong in doing well or trying to build our country?” she asked.
“If I could assist the post-war rebuilding process in Liberia by donating the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior Secondary School in Monte Serrado County, what is wrong in drawing attention to some of the areas of need in our beloved nation?”
According to her, this isn’t her first time rallying support for public causes.
> “For my 45th birthday, I raised ₦50 million to complete the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, which has since become fully operational.
“During my 50th birthday, I raised ₦200 million for the New Era Foundation and other charities,” she noted.
She described the National Library not just as a project, but as a “national treasure” with the potential to serve generations of Nigerians.
> “I have played my part in this project and believe Nigerians can raise the funds needed to complete the library,” she said.
*₦20.7 Billion Raised So Far*
So far, the initiative has pulled in ₦20.7 billion, with donations still ongoing. According to the First Lady, the fundraising account will remain open until December 2025 to allow for broader public participation.
She clarified that the donations are being managed transparently by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Library of Nigeria, not by her office.
> “The account is being managed by the government through the Ministry of Education and the National Library. The signatories are the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Chief Librarian, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi,” she said.
Her role, she emphasized, is limited to advocacy and fundraising awareness.
> “I’m simply helping to drive attention and support for the project. We all have to rise up and play our parts in the building process. A grain of sand and a drop of water makes a mighty ocean,” she added.
“Are You Building or Taking?”
Quoting Lebanese writer and philosopher Gibran Khalil Gibran, the First Lady challenged critics to reflect on their contributions to the nation:
> “Are you a politician, asking what your country can do for you, or a zealous one, asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite; if the second, then you are an oasis in a desert.”
She encouraged all Nigerians to take small steps toward positive change, noting that “before long, things will begin to shape up for our country.”
*National Library: A 44-Year Journey*
The National Library project, initiated in 1981, has faced over four decades of funding delays, with costs rising from ₦8.2 billion at inception to ₦23 billion by 2023. President Bola Tinubu has since declared his administration’s readiness to complete the project within two years, with the First Lady’s campaign serving as a key driver.
She also acknowledged contributions from a wide range of donors, including:
President Bola Tinubu
Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife
Former Presidents and First Ladies
Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives
Members of the National Assembly
Governors and their spouses
Security chiefs and their wives
Business leaders like Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu, and Jim Ovia
NAN
