The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to take full responsibility for completing the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria project in Abuja, warning that a monument of such national importance must not be left to private goodwill.
The party was reacting to recent remarks by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who pledged to support the library’s completion as part of her birthday celebrations.
While appreciating the First Lady’s gesture, the ADC stressed that the National Library is not a personal pet project but a national institution established by an Act of Parliament in 1964.
“The African Democratic Congress, ADC, acknowledges and appreciates the thoughtful gesture of the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, in drawing attention to the abandoned National Library of Nigeria project in Abuja as part of her birthday celebrations.
“However, the National Library of Nigeria cannot, and must not, be reduced to the status of a personal pet project of any individual, no matter how well-intentioned,” the party said in a statement.
It described the library as the custodian of Nigeria’s collective memory, culture, and intellectual heritage, stressing that its sustainability can only be guaranteed through transparent and predictable national funding.
The ADC further urged Mrs Tinubu to channel her influence towards ensuring that President Bola Tinubu prioritizes the library’s completion through proper budgetary allocations.
“Now that Mrs. Tinubu has shown interest in the National Library, what is required is not personal charity, but presidential attention,” the statement continued. “The First Lady should use her influence to impress upon President Tinubu the urgency of completing this project through budgetary allocations.”
The party noted that the project was at some point shifted to TETFUND, which explains why there were no direct allocations in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
“The National Library of Nigeria is far too important to be treated as an afterthought or left to depend on the goodwill of individuals. A nation’s intellectual heritage cannot rest on acts of benevolence, while being neglected in the appropriation process,” ADC declared.
The party, however, thanked the First Lady for drawing fresh public attention to the long-neglected project.