The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Federal Government to take full responsibility for completing the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria in Abuja, warning that a project of such national importance should not be left to private benevolence.
The party’s call followed recent remarks by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who announced plans to contribute to the library’s completion as part of her birthday celebrations. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC commended the First Lady’s gesture but insisted that the National Library is far too significant to be treated as a personal initiative.
According to the ADC, the library established by an Act of Parliament in 1964 serves as the custodian of Nigeria’s collective memory, culture, and intellectual heritage. The party argued that its completion and long-term maintenance must be guaranteed through transparent and sustainable government funding rather than voluntary donations.
“The National Library is a living repository of our story, research, and knowledge production. It was not created to be another building but to serve as a foundation for national enlightenment,” the statement read.
The party further emphasized that while Mrs. Tinubu’s concern was welcome, what the library requires is “not personal charity, but presidential attention.” It urged the First Lady to leverage her influence in ensuring that the project is completed through direct budgetary allocations.
The ADC noted that the absence of dedicated funding in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets was linked to the transfer of the library’s financing to TETFUND. However, it warned that leaving the fate of such a critical institution to ad hoc arrangements or individual goodwill undermines its role as the nation’s intellectual bedrock.
“Let us be clear,” the party stressed. “The National Library of Nigeria is too important to be treated as an afterthought. Our intellectual heritage cannot depend on benevolence while being deliberately ignored in appropriation processes.”
While expressing gratitude to Mrs. Tinubu for drawing renewed attention to the stalled project, the ADC concluded with a firm rejection of the idea of reducing the library to a personal project, stating respectfully, “No ma!”
What You Should Know
The ADC has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to complete the National Library of Nigeria project through proper budgetary allocations.
While acknowledging Oluremi Tinubu’s gesture, the party insists the library is a national institution that safeguards Nigeria’s intellectual legacy and must not rely on private donations or charity.
