By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has raised over N20billion to contribute to the completion of the National Library project.
The funds were garnered in commemoration of her 65th birthday, through her Renewed Hope Initiative(RHI).
As at the time she gave the figures, the donations were still trickling in standing at N20,456,188,924.93.
Speaking at an interactive session with members of the State House correspondents on Tuesday, in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu said her inspiration for the project came from her background where she relied greatly in the library to gather knowledge which remains relevant till date.
According to her, the donations would go toward completing the long-abandoned National Library project, a cause she described as deeply personal.
She debunked speculations of political undertones behind the funds generation, noting that her focus was on nation-building and giving back.
Citing inspirations from writers like Khalil Gibran and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the First Lady said, “It doesn’t take much to do good. Most of the work I’ve ever done is not something new; I just make it look big, and at the end of the day, it turns big.”
Mrs. Tinubu traced the history of the National Library project, initiated in 1981, approved in 2006 with a budget of N8.2 billion, but later reviewed to over N23 billion.
She said as the moment the budget to complete the project stood at N100billion.
She emphasized that with collective will, Nigerians can deliver the 11-storey structure within two years.
