THE FAR REACHING AMBITION OF GENERAL T.Y BURATAI WE MUST NOT IGNORE

When on 13^th July 2015, the then Major General T.Y. Buratai was appointed to the position of the Nigerian Army Chief of Staff, not many bothered to interrogate his ambition and how it affects our collective aspirations.

Even though Nigeria has been engaged in three years of bloody conflict with the insurgents that shook her very existence, a rare resurgent mood of buoyant national pride and optimism following her successful 2015 general elections that defiled all doomsayers predictions enveloped her citizens, hence we were too busy relishing the moment that we failed to ask ourselves, who is the new chief administrative officer of the institution that has become the mainstay of Nigeria national unity. 

When we realized that the cloud of external anti-Nigerian forces was gathering thicker and closer on our horizon, and national pride and optimism were up to be tested by the unfolding economic and security challenges, only then, did we come to come to term with the importance of Buratai’s ambition to our nation’s aspirations. Immediately yours truly started to pay close attention to every actions step, body language, word (spoken and unspoken) of General Buratai in a sincere effort to discern his ambition.

I watched General Buratai closely as he asserts himself as a soldiers’ man, he soon won the hearts and honest admirations of his troop; and the respect and true followership of every officer: irrespective of tribe and religion differences. He enshrined Pan-Nigerianism as the only determinism; encouraging and rewarding successes amongst his troops. Leading by example even in battle fronts, General Buratai epitomized rare valor and intrepidity to the officers and men of Nigerian Army.

I watched as he communicated his rare valor and intrepidity to his troops which enabled them degrade a the largest coalition of the World’s most deadly terrorist organizations. And as his image grows larger in the hearts of his troops, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai’s ambition narrows into unmistakable clarity: TO REMAIN APOLITICAL AND TO DEFEND THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AS DIRECTED BY ELECTED CIVIL AUTHORITY.

This unsung noble ambition of General Buratai which has translated to a tradition of the Nigerian Army under his leadership is largely ignored by Nigerians as they are once more carried away in the mood of general elections which have seen their national pride and optimism beclouded by doomsayers’ predictions and uncertainties. But as we approach the general elections in few days time, the veracity of doomsayer’s predictions and uncertainties are diminished by our realization of the ambition of this apolitical Pan-Nigerian General and its reformative effects on the minds and conducts of our troops. He has fully refocused Nigerian Army on its constitutional roles, leaving political opinions and affiliations entirely for politicians.

We are confidence that Our Army is repositioned and professionalized to discharge its constitutional roles apolitically. And being determined to protect Nigerian territorial integrity and the lives and properties of every citizen and visitor within our border, the Nigerian Army under the leadership of Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has established an ELECTIONS SECURITY MONITORY CENTRE: a National Situation Room to spot any emerging threat and respond decisively within three minutes. This is to ensure that every Nigerian is protected and every Nigerian city is kept safe and secured during the elections.

Having clearly understood his knack for success in his professional undertakings, I am convinced that the Elements that seek to destabilize Nigeria shall be defeated by our repositioned Army led by a man whose sole ambition is fulfilling his soldiering calling. The outcome of 2019 general elections will disappoint the cynics because these Pan-Nigerians without political affiliation, without ethnic or religious allegiance are manning the Watch Towers of our nation’s territorial integrity.

I predict that at the conclusion of 2019 general elections, Nigeria shall be enveloped with an unprecedented wave of jubilant national pride and stronger bond of unity, thanks to the men whose party and candidate is Nigeria.

Okey Ayogu: National Coordinator, CDSP