The willingness to serve and excel

The Muhammadu Buhari administration has been doing its best in many areas of human endeavour. Likewise there are some specific individuals in his cabinet who have performed credibly well since they were appointed and should be given higher responsibility. One of such personalities is the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt, Gen. T.Y. Buratai. […]

The Muhammadu Buhari administration has been doing its best in many areas of human endeavour. Likewise there are some specific individuals in his cabinet who have performed credibly well since they were appointed and should be given higher responsibility.

One of such personalities is the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt, Gen. T.Y. Buratai. I said so in an article I wrote one month ago which was published in the Daily Trust and Pilot newspapers also last month.

Three days ago on Friday April 26th, two young writers from Bauchi and Kaduna state respectively supported my views on Gen. Buratai and even went further to suggest that Buratai deserves to be appointed as the next defense minister in the forthcoming Buhari cabinet expected to take off from May 29.

Mohammed Ali and Mohammed Suleiman had in their Friday write-up suggested that since people like Gen. Buratai, Hamid Ali of Customs and three others have handled their assignments diligently with the high sense of responsibility they could be appointed into the Buhari cabinet as ministers. This they believe will help people to appreciate their efforts and also help to encourage others to emulate them. I agree with them and even wish to add that such actions will make others to do like what they are doing.

To those of us writers or opinion writers who are forced to either report on events or to analyze situations I believe this action is important as it will enable the people to have the full facts of any situation at any given time to enable them take a proper decision. Moreover, nothing is sweeter than appreciation or recognition for a job well done. It taste nice when taken hot.

Buratai in my view deserves any higher post because he is an extremely courageous soldier and leader. He is also very intelligent and has guts. This could be seen from the way he tackled the Boko Haram spectacle. He pursued and chased the criminals to their present God knows hide outs. Only fearless and committed leaders could act the way he did. He achieved this feat gallantly and has not looked back since then.

The correct picture of the man Buratai was captured by Abubakar Tsav, a retired CP, in his February this year write-up which was published in the leadership newspaper. Listen to what he said. Tsav said that for more than seven years Boko Haram held Nigerians hostage. They were untouchable and did as they liked. They maimed and killed randomly.

However, when Buratai entered into the field the game suddenly changed. The Boko Haram elements were subdued. The criminals ran away and took refuge mostly outside the country. Buratai kept his pledged of rescuing Nigerians held hostage. He also restored peace. People can now go about their normal businesses in peaceful atmosphere in the North East unlike before.

He also did a remarkable work in Kaduna, Plateau and Taraba state where his soldiers routed out dangerous criminals and made motorists passage safe. He is doing the same thing in many parts of the country especially in Zamfara state now. They will soon heave a deep sigh of relief just the way people in Borno state did when he tackled the Boko Haram elements. Before Borno he had put sense into the criminals in Niger Delta areas.

Outside this Buratai whose humility is legendary, not only provided training to his soldiers constantly but empowered them. This could be seen from the various successes recorded by the operations he introduced like Operation Lafiya Dole and Delta Safe. He is a detribalized leader who believes in merit and the peaceful coexistence of the people anywhere they find themselves. I believe Buratai has since June 2015 showed the willingness not only to serve but to excel in his tough assignment as the COAS.

Ibrahim Biu, Abuja