Alhaji Layiwola “Lai” Mohammed is a lawyer and politician, who has been Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture since November 2015.
He was the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in 2015.
Table of Content hide 1 Biography 2 Career 3 Minister 4 Controversies 5 Net worth 6 Family 7 Age 8 ConclusionBiography
Lai Mohammed was born on December 6, 1951 into the family of Alhaji Mohammed Adekeye in Oro, Kwara State.
In 1975, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in French from Obafemi Awolowo University. He graduated from the University of Lagos with a law degree in 1986 before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School. In 1989, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a licensed attorney, served as a senior partner in founding the law firm Edu & Mohammed.
Career
Lai Mohammed served as an Illorin University graduate assistant before working with the Nigerian Ports Authority from 1978 to 1987 as an assistant chief, senior, and principal PRO.
He was a senior partner in 1989, co-founding the law firm Edu & Mohammed. Alhaji Lai Mohammed also runs his own business. He assumed the position of chairman of Optimedia Limited on December 18, 2008. He was named Director of Afromedia Plc, a subsidiary of Optimedia Limited in May 2011.
Additionally, he is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). He worked for the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for ten years as its public relations officer.
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Lai Mohammed started his political career in Lagos. He oversaw the organization of Bola Tinubu‘s campaign in 1998 when he ran for Governor of Lagos State. After the elections were a success, he was appointed Governor Tinubu’s chief of staff, serving from 1999 to 2002.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed ran as an Alliance for Democracy candidate for Governor in the April 2003 Kwara State elections in October 2002. He was attacked in front of Senator Suleiman Ajadi’s campaign headquarters at Oke-Onigbin, and five of the vehicles in his convoy had their windows broken during a celebration. He also served as the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary.
Minister
He was sworn in as Minister of Information and Culture on November 11, 2015, by President Muhammadu Buhari. This followed his nomination and screening by the Nigerian Senate. He was reappointed for a second term when Buhari also won re-election on August 21, 2019.
Controversies
Lai Mohammed is one of the most controversial politicians in Nigeria. His tenure has been characterised by the contentious remarks he has made several times. While the minister views himself as simply carrying out his duties, many Nigerians view him as a master of propaganda and refer to him as “Lie Mohammed.”
Lai Mohammed has been charged with delivering false information and a conflicting account of events in the nation by the local and international media on numerous occasions. This was demonstrated during the #EndSARS protest when he delivered a report that differed from that of the Nigerian Army and the Lagos State Government. He claimed that CNN, a global news organization, had spread false information about many Nigerian youths being killed while protesting. Later, CNN made a video available to support reports that several young people were slain near the Lekki toll gate. The media outlet had urged Lai Mohammed to offer convincing evidence that they were selling false information, as he claimed.
Net worth
The politician has an estimated net worth of $6 million.
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Family
Lai Mohammed has been married to Alhaja Kudirat Adeoti Mohammed for 42 years. They married in 1979 after three years of courtship. They have four children, as well as many grandchildren.
One of them, Jubril Folajimi Mohammed, represents Ikeja 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
His first child, Yeside Laguda, a married fashion designer, runs the My Q Lifestyle fashion design company.
Aishat Taiwo is the third daughter and a married woman as well. Adetoun is the last of his children.
Age
The minister will turn 71 years old on December 6 this year. He was born on December 6, 1951.
Conclusion
Lai Mohammed and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governor of his state, have been at odds for a while. During the 2019 governorship campaign and other elections in the state, the Governor of Kwara State said that Lai Mohammed treated him inhumanely. Governor AbdulRazaq alleged that the minister defrauded him of the sizable contributions made to support his campaign. Lai Mohammed asserted on his own that he would address the accusation when it was appropriate. He nonetheless referred to the governor as a profoundly damaged soul unfit for public service.
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