Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, recently shared a personal story about how fake news nearly ruined his 40-year marriage. During an event organized by the Mass Communication Department of Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago-Iwoye on Thursday, July 18, Mohammed opened up about the impact of the false report.
The fake news claimed that $1.9 billion was deposited into his bank account, a story that spread quickly and caused significant distress in his personal life. Mohammed explained that when his wife heard the news, she was understandably concerned and upset. He had to take his time to explain to her that the report was completely false.
Mohammed clarified that the annual budget for his ministry was N5 billion, which over the years he served totaled N40 billion. He emphasized the absurdity of the claim, pointing out that it was impossible for such a large sum to be in his personal account.
Reflecting on the situation, Mohammed expressed his confusion and frustration over how someone could fabricate such a damaging story. He highlighted the dangers of fake news and its potential to cause real harm in people’s lives.
In his words;
“The menace of fake news is a menace that must be tackled by all of us. This is something that nearly cost me my marriage of about 40 years. While we were in government, there was fake news that I had $1.9bn in my bank account and unfortunately, many people believed this falsehood, including my wife.
One day, my wife woke me up in the middle of the night and spoke in Yoruba, She called me: ‘Daddy,” and I said, ‘Yes, what is it?’ She said, ‘We all know that death can come at any time; we may say it wouldn’t be this early but it may be, but whatever happens, it will be good if you make me one of the signatories to your bank account to prepare for any eventuality. Even my friends and many other people are already begging me for money after seeing the report of so much money in your account.’”
“This is why I strongly believe that this menace of fake news should be curbed. You won’t know the weight of it until it is about you. It has destroyed many marriages, many people have even committed suicide because fake news were published about them on social media.”
