Lai Mohammed Reveals How Fake News Nearly Ruined His 40-Year Marriage

Former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed, recently revealed how fake news almost ended his 40-year-old marriage.

He shared his story during an event in Lagos commemorating Professor Wole Soyinka’s 90th birthday, where he discussed “The Media in the Age of Disinformation.”

According to Mohammed, in 2018, a false report circulated on social media claiming that he had 1.3 billion dollars stashed in a foreign account.

The news spread like wildfire, and even his wife was convinced of its truth. She confronted him in the middle of the night, demanding to be a signatory to the alleged account.

Mohammed spent hours explaining to his wife that there was no truth to the story, even going as far as reproducing the Federal Appropriation Act for 2015-2018 to demonstrate the absurdity of the claim.

He explained that his capital budget never exceeded N5 billion, which at the time was just 12.5 million dollars. It would take him over 100 years to save the alleged 1.3 billion dollars.

Despite his efforts to convince her of his innocence, Mohammed’s wife was still unsure and believed that the whole world accepted the story as true.

This led to her friends constantly requesting financial help, believing she was married to a corrupt politician.

This incident highlights the dangers of fake news and its potential to cause significant damage to personal and professional lives.

It also underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the need for media platforms to verify the accuracy of information before publishing it.

As the world continues to grapple with the issue of disinformation, it is crucial for individuals, governments, and media organizations to work together to combat this growing problem.

Only through concerted efforts can we hope to preserve the integrity of information and prevent the spread of harmful and false narratives.