By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday offered a deeply personal account of his years working with late President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the former Nigerian leader as a man of unwavering integrity, uncommon compassion and absolute trust in those who served under him.
Speaking in Abuja at a programme marking the first anniversary of Buhari’s passing, Mohammed said the late President’s greatest legacy was not the array of offices he occupied but the values he embodied throughout his public life.
He described Buhari as an exceptional patriot, an incorruptible leader and a humanist whose commitment to Nigeria remained steadfast from his military career through his two-term presidency.
According to the former minister, Buhari’s leadership was anchored on integrity, humility, honesty and a rare confidence in his aides, recalling several instances where the former President stood firmly by him despite intense public scrutiny.
One of such moments, he said, was in 2015 when he proposed taking local and international journalists on a military-guided tour of communities in Borno State recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents.
Mohammed recalled that after then Minister of Defence insisted the sensitive operation required the approval of the Commander-in-Chief, Buhari, who was attending an international summit in South Africa, immediately authorised the mission without hesitation.
The media tour took journalists aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft from Abuja to Maiduguri before proceeding under heavy military escort and air cover to Bama, once 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.
He also recounted how Buhari handled a petition containing allegations against him.
According to him, although the President ordered a discreet investigation in line with due process, Buhari made it clear from the outset that he did not believe the accusations. The investigation eventually cleared him of all allegations.
Mohammed further disclosed that Buhari publicly defended him during a Federal Executive Council meeting after another cabinet member questioned whether the administration was receiving adequate publicity.
He said the President informed ministers that he had personally watched his international media engagements and confirmed that he had been effectively projecting the government’s achievements abroad.
Beyond official matters, the former minister painted a picture of Buhari as a compassionate leader who consistently showed concern for the welfare of those around him.
He recalled that throughout his nearly eight years as government spokesman, Buhari would regularly ask how he was coping with the pressures of the job and once publicly remarked, “I pity Lai Mohammed,” a comment he said reflected the late President’s empathy.
Mohammed also dismissed the widespread perception of Buhari as an austere and distant leader, saying he possessed an engaging personality and a remarkable sense of humour.
He recounted how Buhari once telephoned him while he was in Lagos and politely asked if he could “do me a favour” by representing him at an event at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs instead of issuing a presidential directive.
He also remembered light-hearted moments during political strategy meetings ahead of the 2015 general elections, when Buhari would jokingly tease him over his routine Monday and Thursday fasting, drawing laughter from everyone present.
Reflecting on Buhari’s public service record, Mohammed said few Nigerians had matched the breadth of his military and political experience, having served 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, serial presidential candidate and ultimately a democratically elected two-term President.
He said Buhari remained unwavering in his belief in Nigeria’s unity, recalling his role during the Nigerian Civil War and his famous declaration after assuming office as Military Head of State in 1984 that Nigerians had no other country than Nigeria and must work together to save it.
Mohammed also credited Buhari with playing a decisive role in suppressing the Maitatsine uprising in 1980 and maintaining an enduring commitment to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
He further cited an account by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who revealed in his memoir that Buhari quietly came to his financial assistance when he struggled to pay his children’s school fees after leaving office.
The former minister said although he had admired Buhari long before joining his administration, their relationship deepened after 2015 and continued even after Buhari left office through regular visits to his residences in Daura and Kaduna.
He recalled that Buhari wrote the foreword to his 2012 book, Witness to History, and arrived first at its launch in Lagos, patiently waiting for over an hour before the programme began.
Describing it as one of the greatest privileges of his life to have served under Buhari, Mohammed said the former President’s legacy of integrity, patriotism, humility, compassion and selfless service would continue to inspire generations of Nigerians.
