Peter Obi blasts First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s birthday appeal to fund the National Library, calling it a national disgrace and proof of failed priorities.
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has blasted First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu over her birthday appeal for donations to complete the National Library in Abuja.
Mrs. Tinubu, during her birthday celebration, urged friends, associates, and well-wishers to channel gifts and newspaper adverts into funding the long-abandoned project. While some hailed the move as selfless, Obi described it as a shocking indictment of Nigeria’s leadership, calling it “tragic” that a country of over 200 million people now relies on a birthday wish to fund its educational infrastructure.
In a scathing post on X titled “We Are Finished”, Obi congratulated the First Lady but did not mince words about the irony of her request:
“Beneath it lies an indictment of our nation,” Obi wrote. “Nigeria should not be waiting for birthday contributions to complete a national asset.”
Obi went further, slamming the government for splurging billions on private jets, luxury trips, and needless extravagance while allowing critical projects like the National Library to rot. He noted that such priorities send a devastating message about how little value the ruling class places on education and the future of Nigerian youths.
Recalling his tenure as governor, Obi said he also redirected advert funds into social causes but stressed that such gestures must complement, not replace, the government’s duty. “It is the state’s responsibility to build and maintain essential infrastructure,” he warned, adding that shifting this burden to private citizens undercuts public accountability.
Obi’s remarks have ignited fresh outrage over Nigeria’s culture of mismanagement and elite privilege. Many see the First Lady’s birthday appeal as symbolic of a government out of touch with the realities of its citizens — and of a nation where public institutions decay while the powerful live in opulence.