…donates book to Yakubu Gowon University

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday unveiled a new national literacy drive, the Reading Sessions Project, as he donated copies of his book, Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, to Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.

The initiative, announced at a ceremony attended by the university’s management, staff and students, is aimed at rekindling reading culture, stimulating intellectual curiosity and encouraging critical engagement among students in tertiary institutions across the country.

Describing the donation as both “symbolic and strategic,” Mohammed said the gesture underscored his enduring belief in the transformative power of books.

“It gives me great pleasure to donate copies of my book to Yakubu Gowon University as a modest but sincere contribution to scholarship, learning and the advancement of knowledge,” he said.

“Beyond the symbolic gesture, it reflects my belief in the power of books to enlighten minds, sharpen critical thinking and deepen understanding of our national journey.”

He disclosed that since the official launch of the book on December 17, 2025, complimentary copies have also been presented to Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, with Yakubu Gowon University emerging as the third beneficiary institution.

“God willing, many more institutions across the country will be reached in the months ahead,” he added.

At the heart of the outreach is the newly introduced Reading Sessions Project, which Mohammed said would create structured platforms within campuses for students to read, discuss and interrogate key national issues through literature and documented governance experience.

He described the book as a behind-the-scenes account of governance, strategic communication and nation-building during the immediate past federal administration.

According to him, the publication captures the conception, defence and communication of key national policies, while providing context to some of the most contentious moments of the era.

Among the flashpoints addressed in the book are the suspension of Twitter (now X), public narratives surrounding the #EndSARS protests, and Nigeria’s communication strategy during the $9.6 billion P&ID arbitration case.

The book also documents the Federal Government’s COVID-19 response, the revival of the National Theatre, the strategic communication campaign preceding the 2023 general elections, and pays tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Above all, it documents the various communication strategies we deployed to ensure Nigerians were properly informed about government policies and programmes in a period of intense public scrutiny,” Mohammed said.

Explaining his motivation for writing the book, the former minister stressed the imperative for Africans to document their own history.

“I have always believed that Africans must tell their own stories, lest they be distorted or misrepresented by others,” he stated.

“My privileged access to the inner workings of government for about eight years places a duty upon me to preserve an accurate historical record, clarify misconceptions and provide context where it has often been missing.”

He maintained that Nigeria’s contemporary history would remain incomplete if those who served at the highest levels of government failed to document their experiences for posterity.

Town Hall Meetings as Legacy

Highlighting what he described as one of his signature achievements in office, Mohammed pointed to the Federal Government Town Hall Meetings launched in April 2016.

“I remain firmly convinced that effective communication in governance is not merely a bureaucratic function, but the vital bridge between government and the governed,” he said.

The town hall engagements, first held in Lagos, were designed to deepen participatory democracy and rebuild public trust. Broadcast live for transparency, they were convened 21 times across the six geopolitical zones, including in opposition-controlled states.

“They created opportunities for ministers to engage directly with citizens, explain policies, address concerns and respond to sometimes tough and uncomfortable questions,” he noted.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, commended Mohammed for choosing the institution as a beneficiary of the donation, describing the book as a valuable addition to the university’s library resources.

“By putting this book in our library, it opens another vista for seasoned academics and students alike as a veritable reference material on the history of that administration,” Fawehinmi said.

He added:“I believe this is a masterpiece that will enrich our intellectual discourse and preserve the memory of that era.”