Ayodele Ademiluyi, the organizer of the Ife Book and Arts Festival and curator of the Booksfeast Collective, has initiated legal proceedings against President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and several high-ranking government officials. The lawsuit concerns funds collected during the First Lady’s 65th birthday event, which were intended to complete the long-stalled National Library headquarters project in Abuja.
According to LEADERSHIP, the dispute arose after the First Lady appealed to Nigerians to contribute financially to the library’s completion, describing such donations as the “most meaningful birthday present” she could receive.
In a video circulated by her spokesperson, Bukola Kukoyi, and shared widely on her official social media channels, the First Lady encouraged supporters to donate to a dedicated “Education Fund” instead of sending traditional gifts like cakes, flowers, or the customary “money flower” arrangements.
This call for public contributions sparked significant criticism, with many citizens accusing the government of abdicating its constitutional duty. Detractors viewed the appeal as an implicit acknowledgment of the failure by successive administrations, including the current Tinubu administration, to fulfill promises to complete the multi-billion-naira library project.
Ademiluyi responded by filing a lawsuit, registered as FHC/L/CS/1900/25, representing himself and the Booksfeast Collective. The defendants named include President Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Dr. Tunji Alausa (Minister of Education), the Federal Ministry of Education, Chinwe Veronica (National Librarian of Nigeria), the National Library Board, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Zenith Bank Plc, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Among the legal remedies sought, Ademiluyi requests a court order compelling the EFCC to investigate the Zenith Bank account reportedly set up by the Ministry of Education to receive donations from the First Lady’s birthday fundraiser.
He also demands that Mrs. Tinubu and Zenith Bank provide a transparent disclosure of the total funds collected to date and a detailed report on how the money has been spent.
It is noteworthy that the First Lady recently announced that contributions to the project have surpassed N20 billion.
Furthermore, the activist is urging the court to mandate President Tinubu to allocate no less than 26 percent of the 2026 federal budget to education, aligning with UNESCO’s guidelines. Ademiluyi also insists that a significant portion of this allocation be directed to the National Book Development Centre under the NERDC, which is legally charged with fostering book fairs, literary growth, and safeguarding Nigeria’s book industry.
At the time of reporting, the case has yet to be assigned to a judge, and no hearing date has been scheduled.
