Peter Obi Reacts to Oluremi Tinubu’s Birthday Appeal: Commends Gesture, Condemns Irony of Nigeria’s Priorities

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reacted to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s birthday appeal, where she urged friends and well-wishers to donate towards the completion of the long-abandoned National Library in Abuja instead of spending on cakes, gifts, or newspaper adverts.

In a statement on Sunday, Obi praised the First Lady’s request as “noble and thoughtful,” noting that investing in knowledge and intellectual growth is far more valuable than lavish celebrations. However, he highlighted what he described as the tragic irony of the situation: that a nation as wealthy as Nigeria is left to rely on charity to complete its National Library, while its leaders continue to squander trillions on what he called “vanity projects and reckless spending.”

“It is commendable that the First Lady would prioritize education and knowledge. But the fact that Nigeria, with all its resources, cannot fund its own national library without appealing for private donations is shameful. Our leaders waste trillions on convoys, frivolous offices, and extravagant lifestyles, yet the very foundation of intellectual growth is left in ruins,” Obi said.

The former Anambra governor stressed that no serious nation leaves its knowledge institutions underfunded, adding that the neglect of the National Library is symbolic of Nigeria’s wider failure in prioritizing education.

Obi’s comments have sparked fresh debate online, with many Nigerians echoing his sentiments about the country’s misplaced priorities.

The National Library project, first initiated in 2006, has suffered repeated delays and funding shortfalls, leaving it incomplete nearly two decades later.