Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday unveiled a revealing memoir aimed at dismantling what he described as widespread misconceptions surrounding the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The 584-page book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, was presented in Abuja and chronicles Mohammed’s nearly eight years as Nigeria’s longest-serving Minister of Information and Culture, overseeing information, culture, tourism and national orientation.
At the launch, Mohammed described the book as a first-hand account of policy making and government communication during the Buhari era, written to provide context and clarity amid what he said were sustained narrative battles and misinformation.
“For almost eight years, I was at the centre of government communication, crisis management, national orientation, culture and tourism,” he said. “I saw firsthand how decisions were made, how narratives were shaped, and how misinformation often overshadowed facts. This book is about correcting misconceptions, providing context and sharing accounts that history must not forget.”
He argued that only insiders with direct access to power could accurately document such periods, warning that distorted narratives could easily define history if left unchallenged.
Mohammed revealed that the book contains behind-the-scenes accounts of difficult decisions that almost led to his resignation, communication strategies during the 2023 general elections, the recovery of Nigeria’s looted artefacts, and confrontations with the Bring Back Our Girls campaign.
Other highlights include the government’s battles against security-related misinformation, the “Change Begins With Me” campaign, and personal reflections on the late former president.
Responding to questions on whether the book was meant to defend Buhari’s legacy, Mohammed said the truth needed no defense, citing the administration’s scorecard series and legacy portal as evidence of its record.
“President Muhammadu Buhari did his best and left the rest to posterity, which I am confident will be kind to him,” he said.
He added that the book was intended as a reference tool for researchers, journalists and students interested in politics, public communication and governance.
Reviewing the book, former presidential spokesman and ThisDay Editorial Board Chairman, Segun Adeniyi, described it as a significant insider account of the Buhari years, blending history, policy explanations and pointed rebuttals to critics of both the administration and Mohammed himself.
“What emerges is the portrait of a minister who saw himself not merely as a government spokesperson, but as a strategic communicator tasked with changing the narrative,” Adeniyi said.
He praised the book’s detailed accounts of crisis communications during COVID-19, the P&ID arbitration case, security media tours and the digital television switchover, as well as achievements such as the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes and the revival of the National Theatre.
However, Adeniyi noted that sections on sensitive issues like the Twitter suspension and the #EndSARS protests read more like legal defenses than balanced history, pointing to limited self-criticism and a tendency to frame dissent as disinformation.
“Future researchers will find valuable raw materials here, but they will need to triangulate this account with other sources to arrive at a fuller picture,” he said.
