My motivation behind new book on Buhari administration — Lai Mohammed

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has revealed the inspiration and purpose behind his new book, “Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration.”

Speaking during an interview with AIT monitored by NAN, Mohammed said the publication is his personal attempt to document contemporary Nigerian history from the unique vantage point of serving under the late President Muhammadu Buhari for nearly eight years.

According to him, the book captures defining moments, major policy decisions, crises, and communication challenges that shaped the Buhari administration.

“It is a compelling insider chronicle of governance, communication and nation-building during the Buhari era,” he said. “It documents my stewardship across information management, cultural development, tourism promotion and national orientation.”

Mohammed noted that he was driven by a desire to ensure future generations understand how government functions beyond public misconceptions.
“This book is my effort to write our contemporary stories from the inside. I would be failing posterity if I did not document my experiences,” he said.

He argued that history often repeats itself because public office holders fail to share lessons from their time in government. The book, he added, exposes how key decisions were taken and how misinformation sometimes overshadowed facts during Buhari’s tenure.

Mohammed also stressed the importance of Africans documenting their own narratives.

The book will be formally presented on December 17 — a date chosen to honour Buhari on what would have been his 83rd birthday. Mohammed revealed that he began writing the book in June, a month before the former president’s death, which he described as deeply devastating.
“When he died, I was paralysed for days. When I recovered, I decided to dedicate a whole chapter to him,” he said.

He described Buhari as a leader who trusted his ministers and never micromanaged them. Mohammed recounted that throughout their eight-year working relationship, Buhari asked him for a personal favour only once — to deliver a paper on his behalf at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.

He dismissed perceptions of Buhari as aloof or detached, insisting the former president was always informed and in control.
“Anyone who worked with him knew he was always on top of his game. Apart from when he was ill, he presided over Council meetings effectively,” Mohammed said.

Reflecting on his most difficult period in office, Mohammed pointed to the EndSARS protests, during which he faced intense public backlash. He disclosed that his family suffered online and offline harassment, leading to a family meeting where resignation was advised.
“I seriously considered leaving,” he said.

He rejected claims that personal benefits kept him in office, stating that ministers did not earn as much as widely believed.
“In my time, no minister earned up to N900,000 monthly. I earned N860,000 including allowances,” he said.

Addressing critics who labelled him a liar, Mohammed maintained that his job was to provide facts and context, not distort the truth.
“You may not agree with my position, but it is difficult to fault my logic or my facts,” he argued.

The former minister said he remains proud of having served Buhari, whom he described as “a good leader, mentor and friend.”