I didn't steal 'change begins with me' idea,' Minister replies Afebabalola

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has dismissed the claims that the Federal Government’s national re-orientation campaign, 'Change Begins with Me' was not his original idea.

Legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola had, on half of his client, Mr Akin Fadeyi, written to President Muhammadu Buhari last week, claiming that the 'Change Begins With Me' campaign was a copyright version of Fadeyi's project, ‘Not In My Country’ initiative.

But Mohammed, who unveiled the campaign to stakeholders in the private sector in Lagos on Thursday, October 6, explained that he and his team had conceptualised and designed the idea 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 at the unveiling, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abare, said the initiative is aimed at making Nigerians major players in the redevelopment of the country.