Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, has provided a detailed account of the events leading to his pivotal appointment in 2015 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari. He attributes his selection not to a single event, but to a foundation of years of established trust, shared political convictions, and demonstrated loyalty.
The Foundation of Trust and the Transition Committee Call
In his recently launched book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, Mohammed recounts the period following Buhari's inauguration on May 29, 2015. While the new President took time to name his full cabinet, Mohammed's inclusion began earlier. In April 2015, Buhari personally appointed him to the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee, a critical body tasked with liaising with the outgoing Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Mohammed narrates a telling telephone conversation that marked the beginning of his official role. After a brief exchange where Buhari, then President-elect, discovered Mohammed was in Lagos, he went straight to the point. "Are you not coming for the inaugural meeting of the Transition Committee in Abuja tomorrow?" Buhari asked. When Mohammed clarified he was not a member, Buhari simply said, "Ok, Tunde (Sabiu, his longtime personal assistant) will call you," and ended the call. A letter of appointment followed within the hour.
A Relationship Forged Over Years, Not Days
The former minister emphasizes that his relationship with Buhari was not sudden. It dates back to 2012, when Buhari wrote the foreword for Mohammed's first book, Witness to History, and attended its launch. The bond strengthened during the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the run-up to the 2015 elections.
As the opposition spokesman, Mohammed was a regular participant in strategic meetings in Kaduna alongside political figures like President Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande. These Monday and Thursday sessions built a rapport based on mutual respect. This long-standing interaction, Mohammed states, laid the groundwork for the confidence Buhari later placed in him.
Confidence Confirmed Ahead of Cabinet Announcement
Even before his ministerial portfolio was announced, signs of Buhari's trust were evident. A few days before the administration's 100th day in office, a presidential confidant asked Mohammed to assist the official spokesmen, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, with preparations. "I did not need a soothsayer to tell me that the call was a further indication of the President’s confidence in me," Mohammed wrote.
The same confidant later told him that if there was anyone Buhari was certain would be in his cabinet, and whose role was already decided, it was Lai Mohammed. This special relationship endured throughout Buhari's tenure and lasted until the former President's death on July 13, 2025.
Reflecting on his nearly eight-year service, Mohammed said it allowed him to witness Buhari's dedication to discipline, integrity, and national service firsthand—values he strived to uphold in his own conduct. The book was launched in Abuja on December 17, 2025, to coincide with what would have been Buhari's 83rd birthday, serving as a chronicle of a defining political partnership.
