The Convener of the Ife Book and Arts Festival, Ayodele Ademiluyi, has instituted legal action against President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and senior government officials over funds raised during Mrs Tinubu’s 65th birthday celebration for the completion of the National Library headquarters in Abuja.
Ademiluyi, who is also the curator of the Booksfeast Collective, filed the suit on behalf of himself and the organisation at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The case, marked FHC/L/CS/1900/25, lists multiple respondents including the Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Federal Ministry of Education, National Librarian Chinwe Veronica, the Board of the National Library, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Zenith Bank Plc, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Controversy erupted in July when the First Lady, through a video message released by her spokesperson Bukola Kukoyi, urged Nigerians to contribute to an “Education Fund” for the abandoned library project instead of sending traditional birthday gifts. She described the initiative as the “best birthday present” she could receive.
The appeal, amplified across her official social media pages, drew sharp criticism from sections of the public who accused the Tinubu administration of transferring its statutory responsibility to citizens. Commentators argued that the request highlighted the federal government’s long-running failure to deliver the multi-billion-naira library project despite decades of assurances.
In the suit, Ademiluyi is asking the court for an order of mandamus compelling the EFCC to probe the Zenith Bank account reportedly set up by the Ministry of Education for the fundraiser. He is also demanding that Mrs Tinubu and Zenith Bank disclose the total donations received and provide a breakdown of how the funds have been managed.
The activist further urged the court to compel President Tinubu to dedicate at least 26 percent of the 2026 federal budget to education, in line with UNESCO recommendations. He specifically requested that a significant share be channelled to the National Book Development Centre under NERDC to strengthen Nigeria’s literary ecosystem and support book fairs, publishing, and creative education.
It will be recalled that Mrs Tinubu announced last week that donations exceeding ₦20 billion had already been made to support the library’s completion.
As at the time of filing this report, no judge has been assigned to the case and a hearing date is yet to be scheduled.