Lai Mohammed

Layiwola "Lai" Mohammed CON (born 6 December 1951) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the minister of Information and Culture of Nigeria from November 2015 to May 2023.[1] He is also the former National publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress.[2][3]

Lai Mohammed
CON
Minister of Information and Culture
In office
11 November 2015 – 29 May 2023
Preceded byPatricia Akwashiki
Succeeded byMohammed Idris Malagi
Personal details
Born
Olayiwola Mohammed

(1951-12-06) 6 December 1951
Political partyAll Progressives Congress (2013– present)
Other political
affiliations		Action Congress of Nigeria (2006–2013)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer

Biography

He was born into the family of Alhaji Mohammed Adekeye in 1952. He is a native of Oro in Kwara State. He earned a bachelor's degree in French from Obafemi Awolowo University, in the year 1975.[4] He proceeded to obtain a law degree from the University of Lagos, and then Nigerian Law School in 1986[5] As a practising Lawyer, Alhaji Lai Mohammed co-founded the legal firm of Edu & Mohammed as a senior partner in 1989.

Business

Mohammed is a businessman and served as the Chairman of Optmedia Limited, a subsidiary of Afromedia PLC since 18 December 2008.[6] He served as a Director of Afromedia PLC since May 2011.[7] Alhaji Mohammed is also a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and worked as Public Relations Officer for almost 10 years with the Nigerian Airport Authority, now Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).[8]

Politics

In October 2002, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was a candidate for governor in the April 2003 Kwara State elections on the Alliance for Democracy platform. He was assaulted and five vehicles in his convoy were smashed in front of Senator Suleiman Ajadi's campaign office at Oke-Onigbin during a festivity.[9] He served as Governor Tinubu's Chief of Staff during his first term.[10]

Mohammed is an active politician and was the National Publicity Secretary of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Nigeria. He was on 11 November 2015 sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Information and Culture following his appointment and successful screening by the Nigerian Senate. On 21 August 2019 he was again sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of information and culture.

He has been accused by some local and international news about giving contradictory accounts of events in his country and false information. This is evidential in his #EndSARS accounts, which were at first, different from those claimed by the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Army. In his interview with DW TV, Tim Sebastian accused him of being "out of the loops" of his country's politics.[11]

He had accused CNN of being "desperate", after the international media released several footages, to prove the massacre of the protesters at the Lekki tollgate, Lagos, Nigeria. However, the CNN had requested for substantial proofs, to prove that the media outlet had reported "Fake news", as he claimed.[12]

Award

In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.[13]

See also

References
  1. "I don't have COVID-19 — LAI MOHAMMED". Vanguard News. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  2. "Stocks". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. "Lai Mohammed at 70: The stripes of loyalty". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. "Alhaji Lai Mohammed". Edinburgh International Culture Summit. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  5. "Lai Mohammed: Potent voice of opposition". The Nation. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  6. "Honourable Minister". Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  7. "Ministerial Nominee: NINE things you need to know about Lai Mohammed". Vanguard News. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  8. "Profile of Alhaji Lai Mohammed". Nigerian Image. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  9. Utibe Uko (15 December 2002). ""The Endangered Aspirants". This Day Online". Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  10. "Alhaji Lai Mohammed". Edinburgh International Culture Summit. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  11. "Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed on Conflict Zone | DW | 18.03.2020". Deutsche Welle.
  12. "Lekki shootings: New report shows CNN is desperate —Lai Mohammed". 25 November 2020.
  13. "FULL LIST: 2022 National Honours Award Recipients The Nation Newspaper". 9 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
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