By Ishola Adeleke, YeyeNews.com, December 19, 2021
Nigerians on social media have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to create two separate ministries for Information and Culture because the minister in charge of the combined Ministry of Information and Culture is giving the world an impression that lying is part of the culture of Nigerians.
“The minister has gained a reputation for lying through his teeth. Even Joseph Goebells of Hitler’s Germany will be envious at the ease with which this minister can twist the truth. His lies are rubbing of on the Culture aspect of his ministry. Many people are now thinking that lying as part of the culture of Nigerians. If the president will not sack the minister, he should take the next best option of creating a separate Ministry of Culture under the supervision of an expert in the culture of the people”, a public affairs analyst Dapo Igando told YeyeNews.com.
A source in the presidency told YeyeNews.com reporter that even the president now find it hard to believe statements that emanate from the minister. The source narrated a shockingly hilarious event that he witnessed in one of the federal executive council meetings recently. “During the FEC meeting every minister gave a report of some major activities in their ministries. But when the Minister of Information and Culture was called to present his report, the president jokingly reminded him that he was appearing before FEC. ‘Please don’t tell us lies we are in the same team’, the president told him as everyone burst into laughter. That’s how serious things are. Even the president sees the man as a compulsive liar”, the source said.
But the minister has said that he will support the creation of a different ministry in charge of culture so that he can fully focus on churning out information about the government. “Yes, I am an expert in packaging information. Some call it lies but I call it packaged information. I will function better if the ministry of culture is separated from my core ministry. That will make me focus on countering all unpalatable statements that detractors are spreading about this government”, the minister said during a phone chat with YeyeNews.com.
