Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has challenged public office holders across the country to document their experiences while in office, saying such records would serve as a source of inspiration for leadership development for the younger generation.

He made the remarks at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic yesterday during the donation of copies of his book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, to the institution’s library in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Mohammed described the gesture as his contribution to scholarship, knowledge sharing, and intellectual development within Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

He explained that the donation was part of a broader initiative known as the Reading Sessions Project, aimed at strengthening reading culture, critical thinking, and intellectual engagement among undergraduate students across the country.

According to him, the project was launched on 24 December 2025 at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, following the official launch of the book in Abuja on 17 December 2025.

The former minister said that interactions around the book at various institutions form a critical component of the Reading Sessions Project, which seeks to encourage informed discussions on governance, communication, and nation-building.

Mohammed said he wrote the book because Nigeria’s contemporary history would remain incomplete unless those who served at the highest levels of government documented their experiences.

He described the publication as his personal contribution to Nigeria’s contemporary history, offering an insider’s perspective of governance between 2015 and 2023, when he served as the longest-serving Minister of Information and Culture.

The former minister clarified that the 600-page, 20-chapter book was not written to defend the Buhari administration, noting that while in office, he had already presented the administration’s scorecards and achievements through various platforms.

“Nigeria’s contemporary history will remain incomplete unless those who were opportune to serve at the highest levels of government tell their stories. This book, therefore, is my own contribution to Nigeria’s contemporary history, from an insider’s perspective.

“It is not merely a documentation of my time as the longest-serving Minister of Information and Culture. It is the account of someone who was consistently in the engine room of government between 2015 and 2023.

“Some have asked whether the book is an attempt to defend the Buhari administration. The answer is no. While in office, I did enough of that,” he said.

He added that the book also examines the changing nature of communication in the digital era, stressing that political communication now requires proactive engagement and constant feedback rather than reliance on press releases alone.

Mohammed explained that information managers in government must operate differently from other cabinet members, saying they serve as the mirror through which the administration is reflected to the public and the world.

He said some chapters in the book also discuss misinformation during the #EndSARS saga and the reasons why the federal government suspended Twitter operations in Nigeria.

The minister cited instances of proactive narrative management, including leading local and international journalists to Boko Haram–liberated areas in Borno State in 2015, which he said helped correct misinformation about the security situation.

He added that the book was written for researchers, students, media professionals, public relations practitioners, and historians, expressing hope that it would serve as a reference material and teaching aid.

Mohammed expressed delight at placing the book in the library of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, stressing that knowledge should be accessible for questioning, testing, and application in academic environments.

Speaking earlier, the institution’s Rector, Dr Koyejo Jolaoso, commended the former minister for recognising the institution, noting that it showed MAPOLY remained on the map of reference.

“We appreciate you for your role in nation-building. This donation goes a long way towards the development of humanity,” he said.
He urged the students to imbibe the habit of reading in order to contribute to nation-building.