Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has shared that his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 was the result of years of trust, loyalty, and shared convictions, rather than a single decision.
Mohammed, who served nearly eight years in Buhari’s cabinet, detailed his experiences in his new book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, launched in Abuja on December 17, 2025, coinciding with what would have been Buhari’s 83rd birthday. The book chronicles his time in office and his relationship with the late President.
Recounting the period following Buhari’s inauguration on May 29, 2015, Mohammed explained that it took time for the cabinet to be named. However, due to the trust Buhari placed in him, he was personally appointed to the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee in April 2015, even after other members had been named. The committee’s task was to liaise with the outgoing Goodluck Jonathan administration to review handover notes and prepare a blueprint for the incoming government.
Mohammed described the phone call that led to his appointment:
“‘Hello,’ the voice on the line said. ‘Is this Alhaji Lai Mohammed?’ I answered in the affirmative. ‘Hold on for Mr President,’ the voice said.
Then another voice, apparently that of the President-elect, came on the line and asked: ‘Lai, where are you?’
‘Your Excellency, I am in Lagos.’ What are you doing in Lagos?’ he asked.
‘I live in Lagos, Your Excellency,’ I replied.
He then went straight to the reason for the call: ‘Are you not coming for the inaugural meeting of the Transition Committee in Abuja tomorrow?’
I replied, ‘Your Excellency, I am not a member of the committee.’ He then said, ‘Ok, Tunde (Sabiu, his longtime personal assistant) will call you,’ and he hung up.”
Within the hour, Mohammed received the appointment letter via his assistant, marking the start of a cordial and special relationship that lasted until Buhari’s death on July 13, 2025.
He also recalled being asked by a close Buhari confidant to assist the President’s spokesmen ahead of Buhari’s 100th day in office, before the cabinet was formally named, a further sign of the President’s confidence in him.
Mohammed traced his relationship with Buhari back to 2012, when Buhari agreed to write the foreword for his first book, Witness to History, and later during the 2015 general election campaign, attending numerous meetings in Kaduna alongside political leaders such as Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande.
Reflecting on his time in office, Mohammed said:
“Serving in Buhari’s administration for nearly eight years allowed me to witness firsthand the former President’s dedication to discipline, integrity, and national service—values that guided my own conduct in office.”
The book highlights not only Mohammed’s ministerial experiences but also the long-standing foundation of trust and shared political ideals that underpinned his appointment by Buhari.
