Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has explained why she called for a partnership to complete the long-abandoned National Library project.

Senator Tinubu said the call was aimed at supporting indigent students in their educational pursuits.

The President’s wife disclosed this when the Forum of Female Chief Executive Officers of Government Agencies and Organizations visited her at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The first lady had recently appealed to her friends, associates and well-meaning Nigerians to channel their goodwill and birthday gestures towards supporting the completion of the National Library project.

In a video message ahead of her 65th birthday on September 21, 2025, the former lawmaker stated that she would devote the day to God and advancing a cause dear to her heart, rather than hosting elaborate celebrations.

In a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, Senator Tinubu urged women in leadership to birth and replicate themselves in others, stressing that empowerment should go beyond the office to tangible legacies that improve lives. “Make yourselves unforgettable by the things you do outside your office,” she added.

The First Lady reminded her guests of Nigeria’s great matriarchs like Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, Gambo Sawaba and Abibat Mogaji, noting that they set a standard by speaking up and fighting for women.

She charged the current generation to surpass their records by investing in initiatives like the National Library that would outlive individuals and impact the nation’s future.

In her remarks, the leader of the Forum and Director General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, pledged the group’s support for the First Lady’s initiatives.

She commended Senator Tinubu for her dedication to women’s inclusion and empowerment and described her efforts as inspiring.

“We pledge to work collaboratively with your office as you continue to foster unity, drive progress and implement initiatives that promote women’s empowerment and national development,” Dabiri-Erewa pledged. (LEADERSHIP)

• First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, flanked by members of the Forum of Female Chief Executive Officers of Government Agencies and Organizations, when they paid her a visit at the Villa