Donations toward National Library completion not politically motivated – First Lady

The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has dismissed the claim that the call for her 65th birthday fundraising towards the completion of the National Library is politically motivated.

The First Lady through her SSA Media, Busola Kukoyi, told Our correspondent that as a teacher, the impact library had on her life was motivated her to call for the donations towards the building of the National Library.

“What is wrong in doing well or trying to build our country? If I could assist the post war building process in Liberia by donating the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior Secondary School in Monte Serrado County in Liberia, what is wrong in drawing attention to some of the areas of need in our beloved Nation.

“This is not the first time I have raised funds for causes close to my heart. 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.

“I have played my part in this project, and believe Nigerians can raise the funds needed to complete the library. This is not just a project but a national treasure that will serve generations to come’” she said.

The first lady further said that as the fund was still counting, the account will remain open till December 2025 before it is shut down.

According to her, some willing Nigerians have so far donated a sum of N20.7billion towards the completion of the project.

she added that the account that was generated for the donation is being managed by the government through the Ministry of Education and National Library.

According to her, the signatories to the account are the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa and the Chief Librarian, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi.

She insisted that her role was to help drive the funds to get the library completed.

The First Lady said, “The New Frontier, Gebran Kalil Gebran, a Lebanese Writer, Poet, Philosopher and Artist in his 1925 Essay wrote “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.

“That is why if we take our baby steps welldoing, before long, things will begin to shape up for our country”.
“We all have to rise up, play our parts in the building process. A grain of sand and a drop of water makes a mighty ocean.”

NAN recalled that the National Assembly Library project, initiated in 1981 and approved with funding in subsequent years, had faced decades of funding delays, with the budget escalating from N8.2 billion in 1981 to N23 billion as of 2023.

However, President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s readiness to complete the project through the first lady efforts by ensuring that construction is completed within two years.

First Lady of Nigeria acknowledged various contributors, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, former Presidents, several former first ladies, Senate President and his wife, Speaker of the House of Representatives and his wife, and members of the National Assembly.

She said other donators are members of the governors forum and governors’ spouses, security chiefs and their wives, business moguls including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu, Jim Ovia among countless well-wishers.