ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has paid tribute to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a rare leader whose greatest legacy was not the numerous public offices he occupied but his unwavering integrity, patriotism, humility and absolute trust in those who served under him.
Speaking in Abuja during an event commemorating the first anniversary of Buhari’s passing, the former minister said the late president distinguished himself by leading with honesty, compassion and confidence in his subordinates throughout his decades of public service.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Head of Strategic Communication in the Lai Mohammed Media Office, Nnamdi Atupulazi, the former minister reflected on his nearly eight years as spokesman for the Buhari administration, saying the late president consistently demonstrated uncommon confidence in him, even during sensitive national assignments.
Mohammed said, “President Buhari’s life was defined not merely by the many positions he occupied but by the values he represented. Beyond his impressive military and political credentials were the qualities that truly distinguished him: his unwavering patriotism, unquestionable integrity, disarming humility, honesty and, above all, his profound humanity.”
He described Buhari as one of the few Nigerians who traversed virtually every level of national leadership, beginning with his military career as a platoon commander and rising through several command positions to become General Officer Commanding before serving as military governor, Federal Commissioner, Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, member of the Supreme Military Council, military Head of State, Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund and eventually a two-term democratically elected president.
The former minister said Buhari’s confidence in his aides was demonstrated on several occasions, including the approval of a high-risk media tour of communities liberated from Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State shortly after assuming office in 2015. According to Mohammed, despite being away in South Africa for an international summit and receiving no prior briefing on the operation, Buhari immediately approved the mission after the then Minister of Defence insisted that only the Commander-in-Chief could authorise the deployment of military personnel and aircraft.
“The President approved the operation immediately without hesitation. Journalists were flown aboard a C-130 military 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-proclaimed caliphate. That level of confidence from a Commander-in-Chief remains one of the greatest demonstrations of trust any subordinate can receive,” he said.
Mohammed also recalled how Buhari handled allegations contained in a petition submitted against him while he served in government. He said although the late president ordered a discreet investigation in line with due process, Buhari privately made it clear that he did not believe the allegations. “He insisted that the allegations should be investigated because due process demanded it, but he also made it known from the beginning that he did not believe them. At the end of the investigation, I was completely exonerated,” Mohammed said.
The former minister further narrated how Buhari publicly defended him during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council after another cabinet member questioned whether the administration’s achievements were receiving adequate publicity. “The President told members of the Council that he had personally watched my international media engagements, which made me miss that particular meeting, and affirmed that I was effectively communicating the achievements of the administration to audiences across the world,” he said.
Contrary to the widespread perception of Buhari as a stern military officer, Mohammed said the former president possessed a gentle disposition, humility and a lively sense of humour. He recalled an occasion when Buhari called him while he was in Lagos and politely asked whether he could “do me a favour” by representing him at an event at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs instead of issuing a direct presidential order.
He also remembered political strategy meetings in Kaduna ahead of the 2015 general elections during which Buhari jokingly teased him over his routine Monday and Thursday fasting. “He would ask me, ‘How many people have you killed that you are doing all these marathon fasts?’ Everyone in the room would burst into laughter. That was the side of him many Nigerians never saw,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed described it as one of the greatest privileges of his life to have worked closely with Buhari, saying the late president’s enduring legacy of integrity, patriotism, humility, compassion and selfless service would continue to inspire generations of Nigerians. He prayed for Allah to forgive Buhari’s shortcomings, grant him Aljannah Firdaus, comfort his family and bless Nigeria with peace, unity and prosperity.
