"Write Your Own Book,Tell Your Own Stories", Ex-Minister Lai Mohammed Tells Nigerians, Donates New Book to MAPOLY
By: Olufemi Orunsola
Former Minister of Information and Culture under the late General Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the culture of telling their own stories in documented book form to discourage the distortion of facts and experiences by significant others, noting that secrets of life's success that are not included in school curriculum but are often hidden in books.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the former Minister made this submission the crux of his speech during the donation and presentation of a book titled "Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined Our Administration" to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta on Thursday.
Alhaji Mohammed, who was received by the Governing Council Chairman, Emeritus Prof Kamaldeen Balogun, and top management of the Polytechnic led by the Rector, Arc. Dr. Babatunde Adekoyejo Jolaoso, and a cross section of stakeholders, had an interactive session with the Polytechnic community.
OTN News further reports that the book presentation and donation exercise had in attendance members of the fourth realm of government, the media, spread across both radio, television, print journalism as well as online media platform, fielded various questions on critical issues related to the Buhari administration.
The former Minister while speaking at the book presentation said, "Nigeria’s contemporary history will remain incomplete unless those who were opportune to serve at the highest levels of government tell their stories", noting that "This book, therefore, is my own contribution to Nigeria’s contemporary history, from an insider’s perspective."
"It gives me great joy, therefore, to place this book in the library of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. This donation aligns with my belief that knowledge should not sit on private shelves, but should live where it can be questioned, tested and applied, such as the library of this great institution," he further said.
"The book Headlines & Soundbites is written for researchers, students, media professionals, public relations practitioners, historians and all those interested in governance, strategic communication and nation-building," the ex-minister maintained.
He also added that while the book was not particularly written to defend the Buhari administration, it is his hope "that the book will serve as reference material, a teaching aid and a resource for critical inquiry. More importantly, I hope it encourages students and scholars to interrogate narratives, seek context and appreciate the power of communication in shaping national history."
Also speaking at the book presentation, the Governing Council Chairman, Prof Kamaldeen Balogun, expressed appreciation for the minister's gesture, noting that the book will engender further research by media students being trained at the Polytechnic.
Prof Balogun further observed that writing a book on his administrative experience is a legacy effort by the Minister which will put him in the minds of younger generation of Nigerians.
Similarly, in his own response, the Rector, Arc. Jolaoso, thanked the former minister for choosing to donate the high-end book to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, noting that the book will further add value to the media knowledge bank of the institution which parades a Media Department that is globally recognized for training media practitioners of note over the years.
A major highpoint of the event was the recap of the content of the 20-chapter and 600-page book by the Minister.
Among other things, other highpoints of the event included signing of the donated books by the Governing Council Chairman.
Another high point of the event was the moment the General Manager of Radio Nigeria's Paramount FM Abeokuta, Mrs. Oluremi Olugbenro, questioned the minister on how he was able to survive the barrage of rife criticisms of levied not only against his office as Buhari's Minister but on his very person by people who often deliberately mispell and mispronounced his first name Lai as "Lie" in awkward ways throughout his tenure of office without getting emotionally disturbed or depressed by such caustic criticisms.
The Minister had a fruitful interactive session with participants at the book presentation and donation, stating categorically that he feels fulfilled and delighted to have the grace and opportunity to have lived to tell his own story by himself in his lifetime beyond the distortions associated with what flies around about him on social media and by other writers.
The event had in attendance the Deputy Rector, Dr. Mrs. Yetunde Lanre-Iyanda, the Registrar, Mrs. Bunmi Elewodalu, the Bursar Mrs. Folasade Madariola as well as Directors of Schools and Heads of Department in the Polytechnic.
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