In a candid revelation during an event commemorating Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka’s 90th birthday in Lagos, Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, disclosed the peril social media posed to his decades-long marriage.
Addressing attendees, Mohammed highlighted the formidable challenge he encountered during his tenure—combatting the rampant spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.
Detailing a personal ordeal, Mohammed recounted an unsettling moment in 2018 when his wife woke him in the early hours while he was in Lagos for official duties. She confronted him with alarming accusations sourced from social media, alleging illicit financial dealings among government officials.
The shock of his wife’s belief in the unfounded claims circulating online struck Mohammed deeply. He underscored the detrimental impact of falsehoods disseminated through social media, emphasizing the profound consequences they can have on personal relationships and public trust.
Mohammed emphasized that social media platforms serve as breeding grounds for various nefarious actors, including purveyors of fake news, anti-state elements, and extremist groups. During his tenure, his ministry identified and confronted numerous online publications dedicated to spreading misinformation against the government.
Highlighting the evolving nature of misinformation, Mohammed pointed to the utilization of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and deep learning to fabricate convincing yet false audiovisual content.
His revelation underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness and measures to counter the proliferation of misinformation in the digital age, safeguarding both personal relationships and public discourse.
