Picture this: you turn 65, and instead of cakes, gifts, or adverts, you ask your friends, colleagues, and countrymen to help complete the National Library of Nigeria. That’s exactly what First Lady Senator Oluremi (Remi) Tinubu did.

On her birthday, she launched a fund — Oluremi @65 Education Fund — urging people to redirect gifts into something more lasting: knowledge, heritage, books, learning. The response? Over ₦20 billion raised in record time.

For many, it’s inspiring. A legacy that could turn pages instead of empty gestures. For others, though, it’s deeply troubling: a signpost for a national government that appears more comfortable asking citizens for money to do what’s constitutionally theirs.

In a country where public institutions crumble for lack of funding, where education is repeatedly under-invested, this move walks a tightrope between generosity and indictment.

Because when you accept that a First Lady’s birthday can raise enough to build a key national monument, you’ve also begun to accept that normal governance might no longer be enough. And so, applause and critiques both rise together.

What Exactly Has Been Announced

Response to First Lady’s appeal via Oluremi @65 Education Fund has yielded contributions exceeding ₦20 billion toward the completion of the National Library project in Abuja.

Mrs. Tinubu asked well-wishers to redirect traditional birthday gifts or adverts to this cause. She framed the campaign as not political ambition, but her duty and patriotism toward education and culture.

She emphasised her personal connection to libraries—serving long on Senate education committees, and recalling her upbringing where access to books made a difference.

The Praise — Why Many See This as Positive

A Philanthropic Gesture with Real Impact: ₦20 billion is no small amount. With that sum, some serious progress toward completing the National Library’s construction, interiors, books, utilities, could be made.

Shifting Norms: Instead of vanity adverts or lavish birthday parties, this redirects public goodwill toward something collective, educational, permanent. Encouraging citizens to invest in knowledge is symbolic.

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Highlighting Education & Culture: Libraries are often neglected. This fundraiser draws attention to intellectual infrastructure, which often gets overshadowed by infrastructure like roads or power, even though knowledge institutions shape minds long term.

The Criticism — What This Signals That Many Don’t Want to See

* Is This a Substitute for Government Responsibility?
Many ask: why must a First Lady’s birthday fund what the government should have budgeted years ago? Does this normalize dependency on charity for basic national obligations?

* Potential for Politics in Generosity
When high profile figures lead fundraising, there’s always the risk it doubles as political branding. Some critics (like Peter Obi) have characterized it as “tragic indictment” of leadership priorities — saying that while donors can help, relying on them signals failure of governance.

* Transparency & Accountability Questions
Who audits the fund? How will the money be disbursed? What are timelines? Are the funds constrained to construction, or could there be administrative or operational overheads? In Nigeria, many such initiatives face questions around how much actually reaches the intended project.

* Setting Precedents That Could Have Negative Effects
If citizens grow accustomed to donating for essential public projects, government may reduce its own commitments. Risk: erosion in expectation that the State must provide core services.

When Generosity Exposes Governance

This fundraiser is beautiful in intention. But its necessity is deeply sobering. A nation that asks citizens to celebrate a birthday by funding what should have been built decades ago is a nation complicit in its own under-delivery.

Remi Tinubu’s call is brave and praiseworthy—but also a mirror. It reflects institutional neglect, budget mismanagement, shifting priorities away from education and culture. It raises a question: are we building monuments for celebrations, or are we building the foundations of learning?