National Library Support Not Politically Motivated – First Lady

Oluremi Tinubu, the first lady, has denied that the request for money to help the completion of the National Library for her 65th birthday is driven by politics.

The influence the library had on Ms. Tinubu’s life as a teacher inspired her to advocate for donations to the National Library’s construction through her spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi.

“What is wrong with achieving success or working to develop our nation? Why not raise awareness of some of the regions in need in our beautiful country if I could contribute to the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior Secondary School in Monte Serrado County, Liberia, to aid in the post-war reconstruction process?

“I have raised money for organizations that are dear to my heart before. I raised ₦50 million for the National Sickle Cell Foundation Center, which is now fully functioning, in honor of my 45th birthday.

For the New Era Foundation and other organizations, I raised ₦200 million on my 50th birthday. In my opinion, Nigerians can raise the money required to finish the library, and I have contributed to this cause. She declared, “This is not just a project, but a national treasure that will benefit future generations.”

The account would be kept open until December 2025 before being closed, the first lady added, because the fund was still being calculated. According to her, some generous Nigerians have contributed N20.7 billion so far to help the project be completed.

She further mentioned that the government, via the National Library and the Ministry of Education, is in charge of managing the account that was created for the donation.

She claims that the chief librarian, Chinwe Anunobi, and the minister of education, Tunji Alausa, are the signatories to the account. Her responsibility, she insisted, was to help raise the money needed to finish the library.

Ms. Tinubu stated, “In his 1925 article, The New Frontier, Lebanese author, poet, philosopher, and artist Gebran Kalil Gebran asked, Are you a politician, wondering what your country can do for you, or a fervent one, asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, you are a parasite; if you are the second, you are a desert oasis.

Therefore, if we take good baby steps, things will start to take shape for our nation soon. In order to contribute to the construction process, each of us must step forward. A drop of water combined with a grain of sand creates a powerful ocean.