Minister of Information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, left Nigerians amused, confused and angry at the same time with his suggestion that a masquerade in the South-East can create employment for 1,000 men.
He stated this while speaking at the sectoral debate of the House of Representatives in Abuja, as he attempted to highlight the untapped potentials in the country.
He said, “Most states today have more than one festival a year, but the packaging and lack of capacity has not enabled them to make the most out of these festivals. There’s a particular masquerade in the south east, it takes 100 people to dress him, another 100 people to undress him. If this masquerade is well-packaged, it can provide employment in one week for more than 1000 young men. These are some of the untapped potentials.”
Nigerians, especially the youths took offence with the statement and wasted no time in hitting the social media to make their feelings known…
Lai Mohammed’s son is an Honorable member of Lagos State HOA.
Other kids are working in CBN.But Masquerade dress design is for other kids.
— Abundantly Blessed (@BlessinAbundant) May 3, 2016
Lai Mohammed sha
He is only good at lying
The rest of the time he is as smart as a bunch of keys
— Egbuna (@A_gbu_na) May 3, 2016
Lai Mohammed talks like a retarded crossed-eyed drunkard (palm wine). He’s a pointless masquerade / clown / agbero. https://t.co/bdPf2TXfAe
— NIGERIA ⚡ (@AgorasBlog) May 3, 2016
Lai Mohammed has now made the masquerade dressing business extra competitive.
— B (@bbellgam) May 3, 2016
Lai Mohammed bring about that comic relief after a very hectic day. Make I go baff, I dey come.
— SQ (@SodiqAbiolaAFC) May 3, 2016
When someone changed the TV channel from cartoon network to listen to Alh. Lai Mohammed’s address. pic.twitter.com/7sbNMuDBXl
— Abundantly Blessed (@BlessinAbundant) May 3, 2016
“If this masquerade is well-packaged, it can provide employment in one week for more than 1000 young men.” Lai Mohammed has killed me.
— Ahmed Rufai Isah (@Sir_Ruffy) May 3, 2016
So all 170million or so of us in Nigeria cannot come together to keep Lai Mohammed away from speaking in public?
— Idomagirl (@idomagirl) May 3, 2016
If u dont av a Lai Mohammed in dis cabinet,it’s like watching a 3-hour tragedy without a comic relief-it will be so boring
— Amuda Mosigbodi-Plat (@platoDele) May 3, 2016
First it was manufacturing pencil in 2 years by Onu, now Lai Mohammed wants our youths to become professional masquerade dressers. Issorai!
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) May 3, 2016
Every lie detector detects d lie pple tell but Lai Mohammed detects the lies told by lie detectors-he’s such a liar extraordinaire
— Amuda Mosigbodi-Plat (@platoDele) May 3, 2016
Occupation :Masquerade Dresser
I can’t believe Lai Mohammed said this????
— Aunty Abigail (@Anabagail) May 3, 2016
Lai Mohammed: How a masquerade can create jobs for 1000 men https://t.co/op57dABaSl
— Chatter (@Chatter_ng) May 3, 2016