General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, The Nigerian Army And The Challenge Of Service. ------mazi Fidelis Nze, Ksm

Nation building anywhere in the world, even in the best of circumstances is a monumental and all encompassing endeavor, engaging the entire resources and energy of a giving nation.

In the peculiar circumstances of our Country, the challenges are numerous and more profound and the solutions to them requires unique opportunities and methodologies. As critical stakeholders in the socio-political development of our dear nation, Nigeria. We have become preoccupied lately with the paucity of heroes in Nigeria and the impact of not being able to find true role models for young Nigerians.

As we discover everyday that many would be heroes and leadership wannabe are people with feet of clay and values mud, the need to find people that you can hold up to a generation takes on the urgency of coping with crisis. We have been in search of good role models for our youths. How few these seem to be these days? The good news is that the KEY word in the last sentence is SEEM. We find Lt. General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff (COAS), a worthwhile showcase. In many ways, he epitomizes the cultural statesman, in these time of delusion of grandeur, his simplicity and palpable integrity reminds us of what we yearn for but cannot seem to find. But his faith and the way he's leading the Nigerian Army to combat terrorism and insurgency in our country shows a Soldier's Soldier and a leader that leads by example.

General Tukur Yusufu Buratai is a leader who motivate people both inside and outside the Nigerian Army to help them pursue their goals, focus on their thinking and shape decisions for the better of the Army. Being an exemplary leader in the Army requires having mental strength.

Fighting terrorism is more of intelligence gathering and counter-espionage, more of a game of wit than brute force. Most especially, when the enemy you are fighting is not the conventional Army and may even be staying among the civilian populace. Perhaps this where the Nigerian Army under the leadership of General Buratai have won where others in more than five years have failed in the war against terrorism.

To say the truth, General Buratai and the Nigerian Army leadership have succeeded where others have failed in tackling the ever difficult challenge of the political arm of the Boko Haram terrorist group. And we must say, where we have a volatile mix of politics and religion, a very serious challenge arises.

But not insurmountable, as the Nigerian Army under General Buratai has succeeded in locating, arresting and decimating the support system of the terrorist. In General Buratai, we have seen so many examples of self sacrifice and moral courage.

Today, the people of Northeast geopolitical zone of the Country sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because noble men like General Buratai and his gallant Soldiers stand ready to defend their liberation on their behalf. Undoubtedly, our dear nation is going through a score of security challenges in which the Nigerian Army since the advent of General Tukur Buratai as the COAS, has also by same extension done exceedingly well to upturn the battered image that the Nigerian Army had suffered greatly due to the general loss of confidence in it during the time of Former President Goodluck Jonathan and this fact cannot be too overstretched. And with all the monies stolen running into billion of dollars meant for the procurement of Military equipment by the same Jonathan' s administration. Nigerians should rather be thankful to this very patriotic Armed Forces that have continued to fight all our numerous security challenges with inadequate funds and equipment.

Nigeria is far better now with the efforts put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Army to combat not only the Boko Haram terrorists group but also the greater challenge of banditry, communal clashes, foreign incursions and other criminalities that have spring up since this government came on board. Our Soldiers are now more motivated than ever, they are getting the required support as at when needed, the Army headquarters relocated to Maiduguri, where it is most needed. Gone are the days when all our Army Generals will sit tight in Abuja in the comfort of their luxurious apartments and receive situation reports on phone or by signals.

Recently, the American President signed off on a deal to sell 12 Tucano fighter jets to Nigeria. What of the 8 Mi - 35m attack helicopters from RUSSIA. Our Military also bought 5 Super Mushshark Aircraft from Pakistan. Also the Yabhon flash 20 remote Piloted Aircraft from United Arab Emirates and many more, not limited to various manpower training both on intelligence gathering, human rights obligations, community services and rules of engagement.

What the Nigerian Army and it's Chief, Lt General Tukur Yusufu Buratai deserves are accolades and not wicked propaganda and mudslinging from partisan individuals, violent groups which seek to create a state within the Nigerian State like the banned Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, some foreign NGO's like Amnesty International and it's local collaborators.

Every patriotic Nigerians must continue to pray and give the needed support, that our armed forces may succeed, not only for the safety of our lives, properties and territorial integrity, but for the sake of our children, and generation yet unborn.

Nigeria shall be great.
Mazi Fidelis Nze, KSM
National Publicity Secretary of the Southeast Professionals in Diaspora sent this article from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State