The perceptible mixed reactions to the First Lady Remi Tinubu’s appeal for birthday donations toward completing the National Library project reveal a troubling tendency among Nigerians to reflexively criticise even the most well-intentioned initiatives.
While legitimate questions about governance priorities deserve attention, the sustained effort by Mrs. Tinubu to complete a project that has languished for over four decades demonstrates exactly the kind of civic leadership Nigeria needs more of, not less.
The National Library headquarters project, originally approved in 1981 during the Shehu Shagari administration and contracted for N8.59 billion in 2006 under President Obasanjo, has become a monument to Nigeria’s chronic inability to complete infrastructure projects.
Over 19 years since construction began, only 44 percent of the work has been completed while costs have escalated from the original N8.59 billion to projections ranging from N49.6 billion to over N120 billion. This represents not just financial mismanagement but a tragic waste of resources that could have delivered immense benefits to Nigerian education and intellectual development.
Mrs. Tinubu’s fundraising approach represents a refreshing departure from the typical government response to stalled projects – either abandoning them entirely or throwing more public funds at problems without accountability.
In the opinion of this newspaper, by mobilising private contributions and maintaining transparent oversight through the Minister of Education and the Chief Librarian of the Federation as signatories, she has created a model for public-private partnership that deserves emulation rather than criticism.
The First Lady’s track record in philanthropic fundraising provides credibility to this latest initiative. Her previous achievements – raising N50 million for her 45th birthday to complete the National Sickle Cell Foundation Center and N200 million for her 50th birthday toward the New Era Foundation – demonstrate sustained commitment to development causes beyond political expedience.
These are not one-off publicity stunts but part of a consistent pattern of using personal milestones to mobilise resources for national development.
Critics like former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections,Peter Obi, while acknowledging the initiative’s good intentions, characterise it as “a stark indictment of the state of governance in Nigeria.” This perspective, while containing elements of truth, misses the fundamental point about civic responsibility and collaborative governance.
No government, regardless of how well-funded or efficiently managed, can single-handedly address all of a nation’s development needs. The most successful societies are those where citizens, civil society, and private sector actors complement government efforts through voluntary contributions and community mobilisation.
The comparison to President Kennedy’s famous exhortation – “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” – that Mrs. Tinubu invoked is particularly apt. Rather than viewing citizen contributions as evidence of government failure, they should be celebrated as manifestations of patriotic duty and collective ownership of national development.
The over N20 billion already raised toward the project’s completion demonstrates that Nigerians are indeed willing to support worthy causes when presented with transparent and accountable frameworks.
The strategic importance of completing the National Library cannot be overstated. In an era where access to information increasingly determines national competitiveness, a modern, well-equipped national library serves as crucial infrastructure for education, research, and intellectual development.
The facility, strategically located between the National Mosque and National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, symbolises Nigeria’s commitment to knowledge and learning as foundations of national development.
The economic benefits of completing the library extend beyond its direct educational impact. A finished project employs construction workers, creates ongoing jobs for librarians and support staff, attracts researchers and students to Abuja, and demonstrates Nigeria’s ability to complete major infrastructure projects.
The reputational value of finishing a project that has become synonymous with government inefficiency would alone justify the investment required.
Mrs. Tinubu’s decision to keep the donation account open until December 2025 provides sufficient time for sustained fundraising while maintaining momentum toward completion. Her target of N100 billion, while ambitious, reflects the realistic costs of finishing the 11-story structure to modern standards.
Given the escalation of construction costs over nearly two decades, this figure represents value for money compared to starting afresh with a new project.
The criticism that such fundraising efforts have political undertones for the 2027 elections misses the timing and context entirely. Major infrastructure projects like libraries generate benefits that extend far beyond any single political cycle, making them poor vehicles for short-term electoral advantage.
International examples provide context for citizen-supported public projects. Many of the world’s great libraries, museums, and cultural institutions have benefited from private philanthropy alongside public funding. The Carnegie Libraries that dot the American landscape, funded by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropy, demonstrate how private resources can complement public infrastructure to create lasting national assets.
In our view ,Mrs. Tinubu’s library project represents exactly the kind of initiative that deserves support, encouragement, and replication across other sectors.
The First Lady deserves commendation, not criticism, for using her position and personal milestone to mobilise resources for a project that will benefit generations of Nigerians.
Rather than questioning her motives, Nigerians should celebrate her example and consider how they too can contribute to completing this long-overdue national asset. The National Library project offers a tangible opportunity for every Nigerian to participate in building the intellectual infrastructure their country desperately needs.
