Peter Obi
PicNews
Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambro State and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu’s, birthday request. She had asked well-wishers to donate towards completing the National Library in Abuja instead of sending gifts or newspaper ads. Obi described this request as “noble and selfless on the surface” but ultimately “an indictment of our nation”.
According to Obi, the fact that Nigeria needs birthday donations to complete its National Library is a stark reminder of the country’s misplaced priorities. He lamented that billions are easily spent on jets, yachts, unused mansions, endless trips abroad, and other frivolities, while essential projects like the National Library rely on charity. Obi emphasized that Nigeria’s progress depends on investing in education rather than vanity projects.
“If Nigeria will rise, it will not be on the wings of jets or the splendour of mansions, but on the strength of minds formed in classrooms and nourished in libraries. Until then, the lament remains true—we are finished,” Obi declared. He questioned why a government that can find billions for luxury items cannot prioritize the completion of the nation’s intellectual foundation—the National Library.
Obi recalled that during his tenure as governor, he encouraged redirecting funds meant for congratulatory adverts towards meaningful projects like providing computers to schools and building classroom blocks. However, he stressed that such gestures were complementary efforts, not replacements for the fundamental responsibilities of government. He believes Nigeria’s priorities are backward, with leaders wasting trillions on luxury and vanity while the National Library remains abandoned in the capital.
Serious nations treat libraries as sacred institutions, but in Nigeria, they are reduced to afterthoughts or begging bowls. Obi’s stance is that Nigeria will only rise through strong educational systems and properly funded libraries, not through extravagance. He wishes the First Lady many more fruitful and healthy years but notes that her request underscores Nigeria’s tragic decline in governance.
