Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has shared a video showcasing a towering collection of over 1,000 books she has read, describing it as a personal symbol of lifelong learning.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Adeosun said the idea was inspired by a similar installation she encountered during a recent visit to London.
“On my recent visit to London, I saw a book tower that felt like a simple but powerful statement about knowledge and time, so I decided to build one in my new office. My tower of knowledge is made up of over 1,000 books that have shaped how I think, biographies, business books, stories of entrepreneurs who built through uncertainty, and books I read much earlier in life. It’s a reminder that learning doesn’t stop, especially when the world keeps changing,” she wrote.
Speaking further in the video, Adeosun explained that the collection reflects more than five decades of reading.
“I started reading, I think I must have been four, so that’s 55 years of reading, and I’ve been a book collector. And then, you know, when I wanted to set up the office, I thought it would be great to create a book tower. I saw one in London and I wanted to replicate it. So I challenged my people, and of course in Nigeria everything is ‘can do’. And they came together and this is the result. I’m so proud of this,” she said.
She described the installation as a “live piece of art” housed in her personal office, her first since leaving public office in 2018.
“This is my personal office, the first office I’ve had since 2018, when I left the other office. This is my new office. So yeah, I hope nobody comes and starts trying to remove the books because it’s a live piece of art,” Adeosun stated.
Highlighting the diversity of the collection, she added, “Everything’s here. Biographies of great Nigerians, biographies of great entrepreneurs, business books that have shaped me, books from childhood. I think I see Famous Five up there somewhere, D. H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover… business books that I’ve read that have, you know, helped me to become a little bit more astute around how business should be run. So yeah, this is my NiDacity’s office, and we’re ready to go.”
Adeosun currently runs NiDacity, which stands for “Nigerian Audacity” and focuses on mentorship, capacity building and creating opportunities for young Nigerians following her exit from government service.
