Lai Mohammed

He was born into the family of Alhaji Mohammed Adekeye in 1952. He is a native of Oro in Kwara State. He earned a bachelor's degree in French from Obafemi Awolowo University, in the year 1975.{{cite web | title=Alhaji Lai Mohammed | website=Edinburgh International Culture Summit | date=2020-08-13 | url=https://www.culturesummit.com/people/alhaji-lai-mohammed/ | access-date=2023-06-03}} He proceeded to obtain a law degree from the University of Lagos, and then proceeded to the Nigerian Law School in 1986.{{cite news | url=http://thenationonlineng.net/lai-mohammed-potent-voice-of-opposition/|title =Lai Mohammed: Potent voice of opposition|publisher = The Nation|accessdate=4 October 2015}} As a practising lawyer, Alhaji Lai Mohammed co-founded the legal firm of Edu & Mohammed as a senior partner in 1989.

Mohammed is a businessman and served as the Chairman of Optmedia Limited, a subsidiary of Afromedia PLC since 18 December 2008.{{Cite web|title=Honourable Minister|url=https://fmic.gov.ng/about-us/honourable-minister/|access-date=2021-05-31|website=Federal Ministry of Information and Culture|language=en-US}} He served as a Director of Afromedia PLC since May 2011.{{Cite web|date=2015-10-12|title=Ministerial Nominee: NINE things you need to know about Lai Mohammed|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/ministerial-nominee-nine-things-you-need-to-know-about-lai-mohammed/|access-date=2021-05-31|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}} Alhaji Mohammed is also a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and worked as Public Relations Officer for almost 10 years with the Nigerian Airport Authority, now Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).{{Cite web|date=2020-05-12|title=Profile of Alhaji Lai Mohammed|url=https://nigerianimage.com/2020/05/12/profile-of-alhaji-lai-mohammed/|access-date=2021-05-31|website=Nigerian Image|language=en-US}}

In October 2002, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was a candidate for governor in the April 2003 Kwara State elections on the Alliance for Democracy platform. He was assaulted and five vehicles in his convoy were smashed in front of Senator Suleiman Ajadi's campaign office at Oke-Onigbin during a festivity.{{cite web| url=http://www.bloomberg.com|author=Utibe Uko|date =2002-12-15|title = "The Endangered Aspirants". This Day Online.|accessdate = 2009-11-26}} He served as Governor Tinubu's Chief of Staff during his first term.{{Cite web|title=Alhaji Lai Mohammed|url=https://www.culturesummit.com/people/alhaji-lai-mohammed/|access-date=2021-05-31|website=Edinburgh International Culture Summit|language=en-GB}}

Mohammed is an active politician and was the National Publicity Secretary of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Nigeria. He was on 11 November 2015 sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Information and Culture following his appointment and successful screening by the Nigerian Senate. On 21 August 2019, he was again re-appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Information and Culture.{{Cite web |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/347816-full-list-portfolios-of-buharis-44-ministers-2019-2023.html |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=www.premiumtimesng.com}}{{Cite web |last=Nwachukwu |first=John Owen |date=2019-08-21 |title=Buhari's cabinet: Why I was reappointed Minister - Lai Mohammed |url=https://dailypost.ng/2019/08/21/buharis-cabinet-reappointed-minister-lai-mohammed/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Daily Post Nigeria |language=en-US}}

He has been accused by some local and international news about giving contradictory accounts of events in his country and false information.{{Cite web |last=Akinkuotu |first=Eniola |date=2021-07-04 |title=Lai Mohammed lies every day, says Kwara House of Assembly |url=https://punchng.com/lai-mohammed-lies-every-day-says-kwara-house-of-assembly/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Owolabi |first=Femi |date=2019-07-30 |title=Lai: My grandson once asked why people call me a liar |url=https://www.thecable.ng/lai-my-grandson-once-asked-why-people-call-me-a-liar/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=TheCable |language=en-US}} This is evidential in his #EndSARS accounts, which were at first, different from those claimed by the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Army. In his interview with DW TV, Tim Sebastian accused him of being "out of the loops" of his country's politics.{{Cite web|url=https://m.dw.com/en/nigerian-information-minister-lai-mohammed-on-conflict-zone/av-52192944|title = Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed on Conflict Zone | DW | 18.03.2020|website = Deutsche Welle}}

He had accused CNN of being "desperate", after the international media released several footages, to prove the massacre of the protesters at the Lekki tollgate, Lagos, Nigeria. However, CNN had requested substantial proof to prove that the media outlet had reported "Fake news," as he claimed.{{Cite web|url=https://punchng.com/new-report-shows-cnn-is-desperate-lai-mohammad/|title = Lekki shootings: New report shows CNN is desperate —Lai Mohammed|date = 25 November 2020}}

In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-09 |title=FULL LIST: 2022 National Honours Award Recipients The Nation Newspaper |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/full-list-2022-national-honours-award-recipients/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |language=en-US}}

• Cabinet of Nigeria

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Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:All Progressives Congress politicians

Category:20th-century Nigerian lawyers

Category:Obafemi Awolowo University alumni

Category:University of Lagos alumni

Category:Nigerian Law School alumni

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