Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has paid glowing tribute to late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a leader of integrity, compassion and unwavering confidence in those who served under him.
Speaking in Abuja during an event marking the first anniversary of Buhari’s passing, Mohammed said the late president’s enduring legacy was rooted not only in the many offices he held but in the values of honesty, humility and patriotism that defined his public service.
According to him, Buhari consistently demonstrated absolute trust in his aides, recalling several occasions when the former president stood firmly behind him despite public criticism and political pressure.
One such instance, Mohammed said, occurred in 2015 when he proposed taking local and foreign journalists on a military-guided tour of communities in Borno State recently reclaimed from Boko Haram insurgents.
He explained that after the then Minister of Defence insisted the operation required presidential approval, Buhari, who was attending an international summit in South Africa at the time, immediately gave the green light without hesitation.
The media team was flown aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft from Abuja to Maiduguri before travelling under heavy military escort and air cover to Bama, a town previously declared by Boko Haram as the headquarters of its self-styled caliphate.
“I regarded that as one of the greatest demonstrations of confidence any leader could repose in a subordinate,” Mohammed said.
The former minister also revealed that Buhari stood by him when allegations were made against him through a petition. Although the president ordered a discreet investigation in line with due process, Mohammed said Buhari made it clear that he did not believe the accusations. The probe later cleared him of any wrongdoing.
He further recalled a Federal Executive Council meeting where another minister questioned whether the administration was receiving sufficient publicity. Buhari, according to Mohammed, defended his performance, telling members of the cabinet that he had personally watched his international media engagements and was satisfied that the government’s achievements were being effectively communicated.
Beyond official duties, Mohammed described Buhari as a caring and considerate leader who regularly checked on his wellbeing throughout his nearly eight years as government spokesman.
He recalled that the former president would often ask how he was coping with the pressures of the job and once publicly remarked, “I pity Lai Mohammed,” a statement he interpreted as a reflection of Buhari’s empathy.
Mohammed also challenged the perception that Buhari was distant or stern, saying the former president possessed a warm personality and an impressive sense of humour.
He recounted how Buhari once called him while he was in Lagos and politely asked if he could represent him at an event at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, rather than issuing a direct presidential instruction.
The former minister also remembered lighter moments during political strategy meetings before the 2015 general elections, when Buhari would jokingly tease him about his routine Monday and Thursday fasting, drawing laughter from those present.
Reflecting on Buhari’s public service career, Mohammed said few Nigerians had served the country in as many capacities. He listed Buhari’s roles as Military Governor, Federal Commissioner, Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, member of the Supreme Military Council, Military Head of State, Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, multiple presidential candidate and eventually a two-term democratically elected president.
He said Buhari remained deeply committed to Nigeria’s unity throughout his life, recalling his role during the Nigerian Civil War and his declaration after assuming office as military head of state in 1984 that Nigerians had no other country and must work together to preserve it.
Mohammed also credited Buhari with helping to suppress the Maitatsine uprising in 1980 and maintaining a lifelong commitment to protecting Nigerians.
He referenced an account by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who disclosed in his memoir that Buhari quietly came to his financial aid when he struggled to pay his children’s school fees after leaving office.
According to Mohammed, his admiration for Buhari began long before joining his administration, but their relationship became much closer after 2015 and continued after Buhari left office through regular visits to his homes in Daura and Kaduna.
He also recalled that Buhari wrote the foreword to his 2012 book, Witness to History, and arrived early for the launch in Lagos, patiently waiting for more than an hour before the programme commenced.
Describing it as one of the greatest honours of his life to have served under Buhari, Mohammed said the late president would be remembered for his integrity, patriotism, humility, compassion and selfless service to Nigeria.
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