A Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has described communication as the most strategic tool of governance, stating that effective leadership extends beyond policy formulation and implementation.
Mohammed made the remarks on Thursday in Lagos during the reading and signing of his new book, Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Head of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Media Office, Abuja, Nnamdi Atupulazi, the ex-minister noted that governance demands sustained engagement with the citizenry.
“Governance is not only about making and implementing decisions. It is about explaining the decisions and convincing the people about their implementation,” he said.
Mohammed, who served for nearly eight years under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, explained that he employed strategic communication to highlight the government’s achievements while establishing channels to gather feedback from Nigerians.
He outlined several strategies deployed during his tenure, including town hall meetings, media tours of government projects, interactions with foreign media and global think tanks, a scorecard series, strategic stakeholder engagements, testimony series, and regular media briefings.
According to him, the scorecard series was introduced ahead of the 2023 general elections to counter claims that the ruling party had no achievements to present to voters.
“In total, 26 ministers made presentations over 17 weeks,” he said, describing the initiative as an unprecedented campaign strategy.
He added that the series concluded 11 days before the 2023 presidential election and provided campaign materials for party candidates nationwide.
Mohammed said the recognition of communication as a strategic governance tool informed both the title of his book and his decision to document key media moments during the administration.
According to the statement, the ex-minister emphasised the need for the government to view the media as a partner rather than an adversary.
“The media, in playing its constitutionally assigned role as watchdog, may be adversarial, but it is never the opposition; it is the amplifier.
“While government may sometimes see the media as a difficult partner, it remains the most powerful partner it will ever have,” he said.
On his most difficult decision in office, Mohammed cited the suspension of the microblogging platform Twitter, now known as X.
“I was concerned that suspending Twitter would adversely affect Nigerians who use the platform to advertise their goods and services.
“I was also concerned about the optics regarding the government’s commitment to freedom of expression and the opening up of the democratic space.
“However, none of those considerations outweighed the threat to national security posed by the irresponsible use of the platform,” he said, adding, “In governance, public interest must always take precedence over individual interest.”
He also described the #EndSARS protest as his most challenging moment in office, saying it reinforced his concerns about fake news and disinformation.
“It confirmed my worst fears about fake news and disinformation as a clear and present danger to our country,” he said.
Addressing allegations surrounding the Lekki Toll Gate during the protests, Mohammed maintained that there was no massacre at the site.
“The government never said nobody died during #EndSARS. Of course, many people died across the country. But we have been consistent in stating that there was no massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate. Five years on, no one has come forward to say their children or wards left for the Lekki Toll Gate protest and never returned,” he said.
Mohammed said he authored the book to document his stewardship in office and encouraged other public officials to record their experiences for historical purposes.
“I am a strong advocate of Africans telling their own stories from their own perspectives to avoid distortion. Having had the rare privilege of serving at the highest level of government, I believe I owe it to myself, my country and posterity to give an account of my stewardship,” he said.
His book was launched on December 17, 2025, to mark the 83rd birthday of the late President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
