In a convocation address that blended political messaging with life advice, former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, framed Nigeria’s protracted security challenges as a battle that requires a fundamental shift from a government-centric approach to a society-wide effort. Speaking at Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State, Mohammed’s call for public support of President Bola Tinubu’s administration opens a critical dialogue on the nature of modern insecurity and civic responsibility.
Beyond Government Action: The “Local Issue” of Security
Mohammed’s assertion that “security is a local issue” is perhaps the most significant takeaway from his lecture. This moves the conversation beyond military deployments and policy pronouncements. In practical terms, it implies that sustainable security relies on community vigilance, trust between citizens and local law enforcement, and the willingness to share actionable intelligence. For instance, the effectiveness of initiatives like community policing or the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the Northeast hinges entirely on this local buy-in. Mohammed acknowledged the government’s efforts but subtly underscored their limits without communal cooperation.
His metaphor—”Many people who are not in the kitchen, don’t know the fire coming out of it”—serves as a plea for public understanding of the complexities faced by leadership. However, it also invites a counter-perspective: citizens experiencing insecurity firsthand feel the heat of the fire daily, and their expectation for tangible results remains high. The former minister’s message, therefore, walks a tightrope between soliciting patience and urging proactive public participation.
Political Loyalty and “Back Channel” Advocacy
Declaring himself “100 per cent behind this administration,” Mohammed also signaled a shift in his role. His statement about having “played my role in the frontline” and now operating through “back channels” is a notable comment on political evolution. It suggests a move from public defense and communication—the hallmark of his ministerial tenure—toward behind-the-scenes counsel and support. This reflects the changing dynamics within political administrations, where seasoned figures transition from frontline spokespersons to advisory roles, leveraging their experience away from the media spotlight.
A Charge to Graduates: Innovation, Courage, and Embracing Failure
The convocation setting allowed Mohammed to extend his theme of collective action to the graduating class. His advice moved beyond platitudes, offering a pragmatic, if challenging, blueprint for navigating post-graduate life in a complex economy.
• Innovation Over Certification: He explicitly decoupled a degree from guaranteed success, urging graduates to “innovate.” In a Nigerian context with high graduate unemployment, this is a direct call for job creation and problem-solving entrepreneurship, not just job seeking.
• Courageous Humility: The counsel to “speak your mind even when it feels uncomfortable” while avoiding ego that “close[s] doors” is a nuanced balance. It advocates for principled stance-taking paired with the tactical humility needed to seize opportunities—a valuable skill in any professional field.
• Reframing Failure: His personal testimony—”I failed and failed, and each time, the failures became turning points”—provided concrete weight to the idea of resilience. In an educational culture often focused on high-stakes exam success, this normalizes setback as a component of eventual progress.
Institutional Context: A University’s Stance on Standards
The remarks from Achievers University officials, led by Pro-Chancellor Prof. Bode Ayorinde, provided a reinforcing backdrop to Mohammed’s themes. Ayorinde’s emphasis that the institution “does not sell certificates” and its policy of dismissing students for misbehaviour (even with fee refunds) speaks to a broader concern about educational integrity. The substantial monetary awards for the best-behaved faculties (up to N5 million) is an innovative, if controversial, model that ties moral conduct directly to institutional reward, attempting to shape character alongside academics.
The Underlying Narrative: Interconnected Challenges
The lecture, as summarized, cleverly wove together national security, political stewardship, and individual agency. The implicit argument is that a secure and prosperous Nigeria is built not just by government action, but by responsible citizenship, ethical education, and a generation of graduates equipped to innovate and persevere. While the call for support for the Tinubu administration is politically clear, the broader subtext is a call for a renewed social contract, where every layer of society actively engages in solving the nation’s most pressing issues. The path forward, as framed in Owo, is unequivocally collective.
(Based on a convocation lecture report by Alaba Olusola Oke for NAN)
Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Folasade Adeniran
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