The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, disclosed that her 65th birthday anniversary fund-raising drive has so far yielded N20,456,188,924.93, with donations still trickling in.
Speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu said the donations would go toward completing the long-abandoned National Library project, a cause she described as deeply personal.
“This is not the first or second time I have raised money for a worthy cause,” she noted, recalling that at her 45th birthday, she raised N50 million for the completion of the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, and at 50, mobilized N200 million for the New Era Foundation and other charities.
She dismissed speculations of political undertones behind the project, insisting 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, and later reviewed to over N23 billion.
She emphasised that with collective will, Nigerians can deliver the 11-story structure within two years.
“I have played my part. The Oluremi@65 Fund will close in December. Nigerians can still donate until then. But to the glory of God, we already have over N20.4 billion and it is still growing,” she declared.
The First Lady expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and his wife Nana, former First Ladies, National Assembly leaders, state governors, captains of industry, including Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dr. Jim Ovia, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), as well as royal fathers, among others, for their goodwill and support.
She pledged that the names of all donors would be published in national dailies as a mark of respect and accountability.