By Deborah Nnamdi
A seven-year-old pupil of Elpis Nursery and Primary School in Jigawa State, Faith Maiyaki, has captured national attention after donating her savings to the “Oluremi at 65 Education Fund,” a campaign launched in honour of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The initiative, introduced ahead of the First Lady’s 65th birthday on September 21, 2025, encourages Nigerians to contribute towards the supply of storybooks for the National Library, giving children across the country greater access to reading materials.
Faith reportedly became inspired after watching the campaign jingle on NTA and TVC News with her parents. Determined to participate, she persuaded her father to break open her clay savings bank so she could make her donation. At exactly 10:08 p.m. on September 3, her father transferred the funds from his Fidelity Bank account to the campaign’s designated Zenith Bank account—fulfilling her wish.
Her 10-year-old sister, equally moved by the gesture, made her own donation two minutes later. Both sisters are avid readers, with Faith having read 68 storybooks since July 2024, while her elder sister has read over 100 and enjoys writing short stories.
The girls maintain a shared bookshelf at home and dedicate time each night to reading, often falling asleep with books in their hands. They also take phonetic lessons every weekend, guided by their parents, who encourage a strong culture of learning and exposure to current affairs.
Speaking about their motivation, the sisters said they wanted to help other children enjoy access to books through the National Library project. They also extended warm birthday wishes to the First Lady, praying for her continued good health and long life.
Beyond their love for reading, Faith and her sister have been active in promoting girl-child empowerment. On October 11, during the International Day of the Girl Child, they joined other girls in presiding over a symbolic plenary session at the Jigawa State House of Assembly, where lawmakers ceded their seats for the event.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu has continued to advocate for educational advancement through the National Library project, which she describes as a legacy initiative to foster literacy, research, and digital access. Recently, she toured the Qatar National Library in Doha to draw inspiration for the Nigerian version.
Faith Maiyaki’s gesture stands as a touching testament to the power of empathy and learning—showing that even the smallest hands can help build a nation of readers.
