Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that “Change Begins with Me” was no copyright version of drama skits “Not In My Country”.
The minister of information and technology said the FG’s national re-orientation campaign was his idea
Mohammed said he came up with the FG’s initiative before he met Akin Fadeyi who has accused him of plagiarism and intellectual theft
Following claims that the Federal Government (FG) stole the “Change Begins with me” idea, the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has reacted.
The minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed says the “Change begins with me” concept was not stolen from anyone.
On Thursday, October 6, the minister refuted claims by Chief Afe Babalola and Akin Fadeyi, that the FG’s national re-orientation campaign, ‘Change Begin with Me’ was a copyright version of drama skits ‘Not In My Country’ initiative.
Vanguard reports that Mohammed’s reaction came barely seven days after a senior lawyer at the Afe Babalola Chambers, Adebayo Adenipekun, wrote to the President, alleging that the initiative launched to bring attitudinal change in the country, originated from him and was taken from his project: ‘Not In My Country.’
The minister made the explanation after unveiling the national re-orientation campaign to stakeholders in the private sector in Lagos. He noted that the idea behind the national re-orientation was designed and completed two months before he met Fadeyi.
He said: “I was nominated in October and the moment I was nominated, I called my team and I told them that the most important thing was to change the attitude of Nigerians. I am happy that the agencies that worked on the idea are here today.
“We started working on the initiative immediately and on 14 October, 2015 when I was confirmed as a minister, I had completed work on the initiative. I made available to the media, incontrovertible evidence that by October 14th, 2015, I had completed work on the initiative.
“On 31 October, 2015, I had completed the radio jingles and television commercials. After we had completed work on the programme, Mr. Akin Fadeyi came to me on December 30th, 2015.
So, how can one accuse me of stealing an idea which was completed by October last year? The person, who claimed that I stole his idea came to me in December. Mr. Akin Fadeyi, Afe Babalola and I will meet in court.”
Earlier, Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Garba Abare, said the initiative was aimed at making citizens major players in the redevelopment of the country.
Meanwhile, the federal government has mapped out plans to sell the just launched “change begins with me” campaign.
In a statement signed by the Segun Adeyemi, the special assistant to the minister of information, the new campaign will be unveiled to the private business owners in Nigeria.
Adeyemi in the statement said the minister of information Lai Mohammed will perform the unveiling ceremony on Thursday, October 6 to the private sector.
The minister said the plan to unveil the campaign to this sector of Nigeria’s economy is in line with the pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the private sector is a major stakeholder at the launch of the initiative.
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