Dare Babalola
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to immediately take responsibility for completing the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria project in Abuja.
The party, on Wednesday, made this known in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, reacting to recent comments by First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, who announced her intention to support the library’s completion as part of her birthday celebrations.
According to the ADC, the National Library is a national monument and intellectual heritage site that cannot be reduced to a personal pet project. The party stressed that the library’s completion and maintenance must be prioritized through transparent and sustainable national funding, not goodwill donations.
“The National Library is a living repository of our collective memory and intellectual heritage,” the ADC stated. “It is the custodian of Nigeria’s story, culture, research, and knowledge production. It is not just another building.”
The party urged the First Lady to use her influence to impress upon President Tinubu the urgency of completing the project through budgetary allocations. “What is required is not personal charity, but presidential attention,” the ADC said.
The National Library project has been abandoned for years, despite its importance to Nigeria’s intellectual heritage. The ADC’s call highlights the need for the Federal Government to prioritize the project’s completion and ensure its sustainability through adequate funding.
