Fake news almost ruined my marriage. Lai Mohammed
Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, recounts how the dissemination of false information on social media nearly resulted in the collapse of his forty-year marriage.
Mohammed served as minister from 2015 to 2023, during which he dedicated a significant portion of his tenure to lobbying for the regulation of social media.
This was in response to the difficulties that this phenomenon presented to his profession and society at large.Furthermore, the ex-minister has disclosed that his position was not the sole casualty of deceitful disinformation.
Mohammed’s conniving behavior also had consequences for his marriage.
He revealed this information while delivering a speech at an event held in Lagos to honor the 90th birthday of Africa’s inaugural Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.The former minister emphasized that one of the urgent difficulties he encountered during his tenure was the overwhelming influx of counterfeit news, misinformation, and disinformation.
Mohammed observed that the repercussions of fake news, deception, and misinformation had a profound impact on his marriage, almost causing its destruction.
Today, I would like to openly disclose, for the first time, how social media posed a significant risk to the stability of my four-decade-long marriage.In 2018, I travelled from Abuja to Lagos for an important job.”Typically, I go to bed around midnight. However, at approximately 3 a.m., my wife gently woke me up from my sleep.””Initially, I experienced a state of panic, as I was concerned that there may have been a breach in security.
However, my wife’s demeanor contradicted this possibility, as she remained calm and composed,” stated the former minister.
Continuing the conversation, Mohamed solemnly recounted that his wife inquired about his level of wakefulness, emphasizing the need to address certain significant matters.”I couldn’t understand the urgency or seriousness of the situation that warranted my awakening at this late hour.””My mind quickly reflected on the various mischievous and adventurous activities I have engaged in over the past few months.
The ex minister insisted that social media continues to be the preferred channel for disseminators of false information, anti-government factions, those advocating for the overthrow of the state, separatists, terrorists, and criminals.
By Nnaemeka Odenigbo
