Peter Obi criticizes First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s call for birthday donations to complete the National Library.
He says the appeal highlights government’s failure to prioritize education and essential public projects.
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Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faulted First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s call for birthday well-wishers to donate money to complete the National Library project in Abuja.
Writing on his X account on Sunday, Obi said he wished the First Lady a happy birthday but found her appeal revealing. He noted that while the idea of contributing to a national project may seem generous, it exposes government’s failure to meet its responsibilities.
Obi stated that Nigeria should not depend on private donations to build an institution as important as the National Library while public funds are often spent on non-essential luxuries. “It is shocking that, in our present circumstances, while billions are easily found for jets, yachts, unused mansions, endless trips abroad, and other frivolities, the nation must rely on birthday donations to complete its own National Library,” he wrote.
He added that the situation reflects a broader neglect of education and knowledge. According to Obi, “Serious nations treat libraries as sacred; but here we reduce them to afterthoughts.” He stressed that Nigeria’s development will depend on investing in education rather than lavish projects, saying true progress will come from minds built in classrooms and nourished in libraries.
