Peter Obi Reacts to Remi Tinubu’s Birthday Request: “We Are Finished”

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over a birthday request made by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Mrs. Tinubu, who turned 65 on Sunday, asked friends and well-wishers not to spend money on cakes, gifts, or newspaper adverts. Instead, she urged them to donate towards completing the National Library in Abuja.

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Obi said that while the request may seem noble, it is actually a sad reflection of the country’s priorities.

His statement, titled “We Are Finished!”, read:

“I join millions of Nigerians in wishing Her Excellency, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, a happy birthday. May God Almighty, who has been with her all these years, grant her many more healthy, fruitful, and happy years.

But I was struck by the irony in her birthday wish: that instead of cakes or adverts, people should donate towards the National Library.

On the surface, this seems like a kind and selfless request. But if we look deeper, it highlights the failure of our government.”

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said he had also made similar requests in the past—for example, asking supporters to donate to schools or community projects instead of placing birthday adverts.

However, he stressed that such donations should support government efforts, not replace them.

“It’s shocking that in today’s Nigeria, billions can be spent on private jets, yachts, abandoned mansions, and constant foreign trips, but we have to rely on birthday donations to finish a National Library,” Obi said.

He asked, “What kind of country begs for donations to build the very place that holds its knowledge and learning? What kind of leaders spend so much on luxury, while our main library in the capital city is left unfinished?”

Obi added that in serious countries, libraries are treated as important institutions—but in Nigeria, they are seen as unimportant or as charity cases.

“Nigeria cannot grow by riding in jets or living in luxury mansions. Real progress comes from educated minds—minds built in classrooms and libraries.

Until we understand this, the painful truth remains: we are finished,” he concluded.

Source: The Sun