The Transformative Leadership of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, CFR: A Case Study for Military Leaders in Africa

MS Abubakar, PhD,CAS,FICRPC

1. Introduction to General Tukur Yusufu Buratai and the Context of Military Leadership in Africa

This case study presents a comprehensive analysis of the transformative leadership of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai,CFR, a highly respected military leader with a distinguished background in peacekeeping and conflict resolution who has devoted his entire professional life to the noble cause of public service. General Tukur Yusufu Buratai’s remarkable life experiences and extensive knowledge stand as a powerful testament to what an effective, ethical, and visionary leader can achieve in the face of adversity and challenges. He embodies the demographic, personal, and intellectual qualities that African nations, as well as other developing countries, are actively seeking in their military leaders to guide them toward stability and progress. Furthermore, this study delves into an exploration of the broader context within which generals operate, shedding light on the complex and often difficult decisions and actions they must undertake on a regular basis in their leadership roles. The findings and insights contained within this study are intended to serve as a valuable resource for both military academics and practitioners engaged in the critical field of leadership development. Africa, in particular, stands out as perhaps the most significant region where military leaders occupy a prominent and influential place in the socio-political and economic management of their nations, especially in the midst of ongoing conflicts and wars. This prominence can be attributed to the unique historical background of the states and their peoples, which shapes the dynamics of military leadership and its impact on national stability and growth.

2. Key Principles and Strategies of Transformative Leadership Demonstrated by General Tukur Yusufu

The experiences of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai provide an interesting case study in what makes some military leaders examples of transformative leaders. The strategies and principles that led him to be considered a transformative leader are: 1. Promoting adaptability and being open to new innovative concepts and strategies. 2. Making participation more inclusive. 3. Visualizing the strategic endpoint or vision and using that to inspire change in the organization. 4. Using collaboration and building trust to support the operational needs of the army. 5. Recognizing that not all change to the army was intended. He focused a significant amount of his change effort on bolstering the good organization of his peers in order to help the army build resilience in the face of the inevitable transformation, firing, and elimination. Army transformation for Buratai was about people and operations – learning, creativity, openness, and change were the underlying principles linking the campaigns he sought. This further examines the principles and strategies of General Buratai’s force shaping campaign in Chad and Nigeria and the organizational culture initiatives. At each step, case studies and detailed operational narratives will be used to illustrate the application of Buratai’s military leadership principles and the military techniques that he developed as part of his efforts. In doing so, I hope to provide a contribution to the understanding of military officers and security sector reformers working in Africa today by not only describing Tukur Yusufu Buratai, but also critically examining who he was with and why this matters.

3. Impact and Legacy of General Tukur Yusufu’s Leadership on the Military and Society in Africa

The influence and impact of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai’s leadership transcended the military structures that he transformed during his tenure as the Chief of Army Staff. Through vision, strategic direction, creativity, perception, and above all, personal commitment, General Buratai refashioned the conduct of African military institutions. He transformed command cultures, doctrine, and operational strategies for increased military capabilities and responsiveness. Moreover, his style and instincts bestowed a lasting legacy upon the societies across Africa. He invested in the persons behind the uniforms. It is in these societal changes that this narrative locates some of the unique leadership tenets that each of Buratai’s activities relates to. A detailed approach to his initiatives will demonstrate how and why African soldiers consider Tukur Yusufu Buratai the foremost military leader in Africa and value his ideas and decade-long experimentation in military leadership.

General Tukur Yusufu Buratai undertook performance demonstrations despite the skepticism and opposition surrounding the initiatives. His dedication reflected a desire to enhance community engagement and fulfill social responsibilities, effectively linking military operations and their potential risks to civilian lives and livelihoods. The subsequent sections will detail and analyze the reforms he independently implemented within military structures and practices aimed at societal peace during his tenure as the second senior officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces. This narrative will adopt a pragmatic lens to evaluate the sincerity of his leadership commitment.

The impact of Tukur Yusufu Buratai’s leadership is evident within the Nigerian Army and throughout Africa (Chad,Cameroon,The Gambia, Sudan,Angola, Rwanda, South Africa etc). Through both minor interventions and significant military strategies and policy reforms enacted during his service, he exhibited profound insight and capability in ethical leadership alongside a relentless pursuit of reform. His innovative approach and investment in human talent transformed social dynamics as the professional military spearheaded operations across Africa. Socio-political discourse highlighted Buratai’s dedication and accountability, earning him widespread recognition. His leadership period in the Nigerian Army popularized the notion of linking military achievement with societal transformation. He redefined command in an unprecedented manner and scale, remaining resolute in aligning army policies and operations with both national and international developments. This unwavering commitment underscores the ongoing relevance of his teachings and discussions in shaping strategies for conflict prevention and resolution within the African sub-region. His concepts have become integral to the strategic framework of Nigeria and Africa, contributing to regional stability and facilitating international partnerships for military observer missions worldwide.

4. Comparative Analysis with Other Prominent Military Leaders in Africa

The General Tukur Yusufu Buratai leadership style also exemplifies the concentrated nature of a military leader. Societies with diverse contextual underpinnings in Africa have been subjugated by leaders who transformed their militaries for good governance. It is also crucial at this juncture to acknowledge prominent military leaders who took over power through a coup d’état in Nigeria. These leaders have also exhibited a leadership stance characterized by coercive methods, failing to institute democratic governance in the military. These lessons raise some fundamental points about the complete development that Tukur Yusufu Buratai brought about in Nigeria.

The cases involving leaders portray military leaders who attempted to transform their militaries in order to influence developmental governance through democracy and human security in their societies. One leader developed a well-recognized gender policy after a revolution in government, achieving significant gains in human capital development in his country. Another recognized the wealth of his society and also disdained disparities. In the cases of Tukur Yusufu Buratai and other African military leaders, we see military leaders consolidating power through repression, leading to an acceleration of state and military system collapse in society. In the above illustrations, the military leaders’ political, social, and cultural positions shaped the society’s politico-military responses to their actions, even as the rupture of systems and the energy produced were chronicled by the history of the era discussed. The comparative treatment of our investigation of these phenomena signifies an important bracket of thoughts in our subsequent analysis, policy implications, and conclusion.

5. Recommendations and Lessons for Current and Future Military Leaders in Africa

From the leadership research evidence, it is clear that General Tukur Yusufu Buratai has used various successful adaptive and transformational leadership practices during his career. Whether or not he was employing a contingency approach is unclear, but there is no doubt that he was an effective peacekeeper and achieved an impressively low conflict rate. To this end, there are several recommendations, insights, and lessons for current and future military and security forces in Africa. Fulfilling a nation’s pledge, army leaders around the world, such as General Buratai, must enhance the military-civilian contribution through participative learning, leadership cultures, and practices in order to achieve the course goals and outcomes. Based on the discussion of the leadership lessons of former Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai,CFR, the following are some actions useful for leaders in this modern day.

1. One of the most important factors in peace operations is ethical leadership, predisposing leaders and followers to higher levels of cooperation and positive outcomes. 2. Smart collaboration network skills, personal connection to a broader community, and the earlier involvement of key community members, including putting an emphasis on the connections to legitimacy, status, and recognition. 3. The choice of methods is rapidly innovating practices, and instead of relying on recipes or strict methods, organizations and groups of professionals and staff are encouraged to focus on professional development using the best evidence available. 4. The accumulated evidence is that the world is overwhelmed with talk of increasingly wicked problems. Periods of extreme, rapid technological and social change demand cultures of ongoing learning, innovation, and resilience. Highlighting the need for continued professional development and claiming this is in response to the seventh age of the West and global insecurities uncovers the capacity of defense practitioners.

Strategic communication is a core capability and skill to manage perceptions, conversations, improve understanding, and contribute to the strategic ends for groups, organizations, and governments that want to facilitate deeper regional forms of ethical engagement and strategic conversation. In this regard, many armchair critics have not managed military organizations, nor developed doctrine, strategies, or tactics. Clearly, it is an organization that is ready to innovate and improve communication policies and structures, engage with communities, and socialize law-abiding values, necessary to make relevant the significant strategic effects for community security. These will be in the interest of the people, and they are ideals for any organization.

In summary, Tukur Yusufu Buratai consistently demonstrated a deep interest in engaging with individuals, primarily through active listening, and subsequently guiding them toward his vision and leadership objectives. General Buratai is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Army chiefs to have emerged in Nigeria and Africa. His bravery, innovative approach, transformational leadership style, and effective command and control strategies will serve as enduring benchmarks. He has already become a reference point in numerous military institutions across Nigeria. His unique brand of transformational leadership offers valuable lessons and dimensions for both military and civic leaders. Consequently, the professional insights gained during the Tukur era, while inherently tacit, have also been adapted to align with the rapidly evolving socio-political landscape characterized by insecurity. What is currently needed for leaders in public and social organizations is a comprehensive understanding of how to strategically reposition their organizations to address these challenges. This constitutes the central theme of this text.

MS Abubakar is affiliated with the Department of Military Studies at the Abuja Leadership Centre, University of Abuja. He composed this article from Maiduguri.

Prudent Ludidi Shares her story of Transforming Pain into Purpose

Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and public figure Prudent Ludidi, encouraged the congregation to stop wallowing in the abyss of past pain, but to rather turn that pain into purpose through transformation.

She made this astounding revelation at the Freedom For All Nations Outreach when she shared her unique story of pain to gain.

She revealed that she is an ordinary woman who has a story of transformation of pain into purpose.

“There are two types of pain we are familiar with which are physical and mental pain. She revealed that pain is a highly uncomfortable experience which we don’t wake up to look for or desire, but pain happens nonetheless”

She said transformation is changing an undesirable status quo and pain is a necessity in the process. Untransformed pain becomes a huge waste, she asserted.

She shared her personal story of a journey from pain, discomfort, rejection and confusion to transformation which had a great impact on the millions of followers who listened to her through FANO television.

She was born and bred in a small town and was the last born of the family. She recounted the trauma of her late mother who was murdered by her husband ( who is her own father ) when she was just two and half years old. He stabbed her 15 wounds and three in the heart. She finally succumbed to her injuries. The cause of the fight was because a woman was involved. Her mother perished in the hands of someone she trusted at 36 years. Sadly, the same strange woman responsible for the fracas between her parents became her step mother after the demise of her mother. In fact, shortly after her mother’s burial she had moved in as stepmom.

According to her, her step mother really abused her and destroyed her so she thought. In her early childhood, her stepmom reminded her of how ugly she was and told her she would amount to nothing in life every opportunity she got.

“She meticulously invested destruction into her life unprovoked, she chose to be on the other side of my book not on the good side of my book.” Prudent said.

“Sadly when I remind her of the sad incidents she subjected me to, she claims to have forgotten. Interestingly, that’s what the perpetrator does they forget but the victim never forgets and I will not change my story because she forgot.’

She said a lot of people suffer from untreated emotional pains that grow with them as cancer. That’s why a lot of people are damaged because of pain. And it’s destructive because many don’t know how to respond to their past experiences. They don’t know how to respond to the trauma that was presented to them. Many were molested but can’t even discuss the pain and trauma openly. Pain locks you in a system of shame. It traps you in a Paragon of grief,sadness and isolation. It will put you in a corner and makes you feel responsible for everything you have ever experienced. Many have become a victim of their past.

“I was not used to an environment of love because I grew up in the midst of an abusive father… “, she recounted.

According to her, the way out is the transformation of pain into purpose. In the midst of her childhood trauma and pains, she is now an epitome of grace and testimony globally.

That girl who was acclaimed to be ugly by her step mother is now a beauty queen with laurels. An accomplished woman who finishes her studies with flying colours on record time, despite the traumatic experience of emotional pain.

“In the midst of those pains, there is God’s intention there. In your troubled soul, there is God’s inscription there. Sadly, many can’t see it because they are moving their lives from the lens of pain. Many are paranoid thinking everyone around them is there to harm them. The key is breaking free from the shackles of your pain and trauma. You are not what they told you that you are. You are what God decides you are. I am what my father in heaven says I am. Untreated pain is a blocker of God’s agenda for your life. Extract meanings from your pains. Have an understanding that God loves you and he permits you to go through it because there is a generation who depends on you to pull them up because of your painful experience. There is an entire army waiting for your testimony of transforming pain into purpose Break free from your self pity and stop looking for human validation. Don’t allow the experience to go to waste. I am not in pain now but the pain to the devil right now.”

Finally, she appreciated Prophet Samuel Akinbodunse for giving her the platform to be a blessing to millions through FANO TV.

Mohbad: Why Primeboy sued police

Musical artiste, Owodunni Ibrahim, popularly known as Primeboy, has dragged the Nigeria Police Force to court for alleged abuse of his fundamental human rights.

PUNCH Metro reports that the Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, declared Primeboy wanted following his failure to honour a police invitation successfully sent to him since the commencement of the investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

In a brief statement sent to PUNCH Metro on Thursday, Primeboy’s lawyer, Akinpelu Ogunbona, said the suit was filed before the Federal High Court, in the Ikoyi area of the state.

Ogunbona said the singer was demanding the removal of his name from the wanted list, amongst other prayers.

“Primeboy has sued the police via an originating motion filed before the Federal High Court,  Ikoyi, Lagos on October 11. He prayed to the court for a couple of reliefs, some of which included a declaration that the special police gazette bulletin issued by the office of the IGP declaring Primeboy wanted was a contravention of Primeboy’s right to respect for the dignity of his human person.  Primeboy also prayed the court to delist his name from the wanted list amongst other prayers,” the statement read.

Primeboy has since the death of Mohbad been at the centre of the controversies trailing the death of his late ally.

He also surrendered himself to the police barely 24 hours after he was declared wanted.

Mohbad died on September 12 at the age of 27, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music, owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022.

The state police command had, on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, amongst others.

The body of Mohbad was, on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.