A former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Wednesday disclosed that he almost resigned during the toughest moment of the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.
He stated this during the launch of his book, “Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration,” in Abuja.
“Readers of the book will gain rare insights into, among other things:
The toughest decision I took as Minister. The most difficult moment of my tenure, a moment when I almost resigned,” he said.
The former minister said he did not write the book to defend the legacy of President Buhari, saying that the truth needs no defence.
He said Africans must tell their own stories to avoid distortion, adding if we do not tell our stories, someone else will, and they will tell it to suit their purpose.
“My uncommon access to government decision-making over a long stretch of time places a responsibility on me to preserve an accurate record, correct long-standing misconceptions and provide clarity where necessary.
“It is my hope that this book will serve as a resource for researchers, media professionals and students of politics, communications and public relations, among others,” he said.
He said it also showcased the he highlighted government projects and provided communication materials for the 2023 electioneering campaigns to counter the opposition’s claim that the APC had nothing to campaign with.
It also showed; “How we restored the long-lost glory of the National Theatre, our contribution to stopping P&ID from defrauding Nigeria of $9.6 billion, how Nigeria achieved the largest repatriation of stolen artefacts in the world, what we did to counter the opposition’s false narrative on the recovery of territories from Boko Haram shortly after we assumed office and how we engaged the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, whose members travelled with us to Yola and flew search sorties on Nigerian Air Force planes.”
Idris
In his remarks, the minister of information and national orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, lauded Lai for his contribution to nation building, saying his shoes are too big to fill
He added Lai is the most criticized minister under the Buhari’s administration because of his role of defending government policies.
He said: “Lai Mohammed’s shoes are very big to fill for so many reasons. Number one, he has been in public service for a very long time. He was once an opposition spokesperson for over ten years. He is also the longest serving minister of information in this country.
“Speaking on behalf of the government is a very difficult role. Lai Mohammed is the most criticised member of that cabinet. Navigating through some thorny issues requires some skills. What I try to do is to avoid some of the potholes to the extent that some people say this man is not talking like Lai Mohammed, they said Lai Mohammed has gone with the microphone.
“He has played his own role towards the development of our country and I have learnt a few things from him. And I will continue to do my job the best way I can. Some people accused me of not doing it the way Alhaji Lai was doing it. I am still doing those things but in a way that is a bit different.
“There two things that Alhaji Lai Mohammed did that stood him out;
He brought the International Press Institute to Nigeria for the first time ever. His tenure also witnessed the beginning of the bid to host the UNESCO category 2 media and information literacy institute”
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