Category: Opinion

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

Robert Roy Britt is a former editor and chief of space.com and live science  authored a fascinating  article whereby he stated that when  asked by researchers to reflect on the disagreements they have with others, an astonishing 82% of people said they were usually right and the other person was usually wrong. That’s impossible math, of course, and it is just one example of our collective lack of wisdom, and how hard it can be to gain some.

If wisdom came with age or smarts, we would all be a lot more tolerant, considerate and respectful of others, according to a vast body of research on the topic. We’d listen more, spout less, and be more thoughtful about contradictory information and opposing opinions. Our world would be less polarized and acrimonious.

We’d feel better, too.

“Emerging research suggests that wisdom is linked to better overall health, well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, and resilience,” scientists concluded in a review of research published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 

This same author profoundly affirmed that while there’s no proof that being wiser will make you healthier, the insights that come with wisdom are said to bring greater individual well-being though increased acceptance, gratitude and calmness, all of which means less anxiety and depression.

But alas, neither age nor intelligence automatically beget wisdom. Instead of growing wiser, most of us just become more intellectually inflexible with time, our beliefs more resolute, our minds increasingly closed off to opposing facts and views.

Meanwhile, if our increasing inability to agree on anything these days serves as a gauge, wisdom is on the wane.

What is wisdom? He asked. 

He responds that one reason we’re all not wiser is our utter lack of understanding about what wisdom actually is and how to use it, well, wisely.

For thousands of years, wise people across multiple cultures — from Buddha to Plato to Gandhi — have tried to define wisdom. Yet a universal definition remains elusive, even among modern big thinkers who study its many aspects, sources and benefits. Dictionaries fall well short, with simplistic but popular definitions like “good sense or judgment” or “the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand.” Socrates gave us a succinct but not-so-helpful take: “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.”

In theory and in practice, however, wisdom is all these things and so much more.

“Wisdom is more about acquiring a deeper understanding about meaning in life, of being able to see how and where you fit into the grander scheme of things and how you can be a better person for yourself and for others,” write Dilip Jeste, MD, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego, and co-author Scott Lafee, in their 2020 book Wiser.

What wisdom is not, according to Robert Roy Britt.  He then asserted that while it’s hard to pin down exactly what wisdom is, studies have shown clearly what it is not.

Wisdom is not age nor experience. The phrase “older is wiser” can be false as often as true. “Wisdom and age are not inextricably bound,” Jeste and Lafee write. 

Wisdom often comes with age but, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, sometimes age comes alone.” Put another way: Young people are often the wise ones, even if us older folks won’t listen to them. “Some people garner wisdom sooner than others”.

A few years ago, says the author, Mark Leary, PhD, an emeritus professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, conducted that compelling survey in which people were asked to characterize their disagreements, resulting in the mathematically impossible 82% saying they were usually right and the other person was usually wrong.

“When it comes to our beliefs and opinions, most of us are much more confident than we should be,” Leary says.

There’s an interpersonal cost to lacking intellectual humility: It makes a person less likely to compromise and more likely to cause friction in relationships.

Further, we tend to reach the wisest conclusions when contemplating problems faced by loved ones or colleagues at work, not when trying to solve our own problems. “In those situations where we might care the most about behaving wisely, we’re least likely to do so,” Grossman writes.

And get this: People 60 and older exhibited no more situational wisdom than those ages 20 to 40.

“Contrary to the adage ‘with age comes wisdom,’ our findings suggest that there are no age differences in wise reasoning about personal conflicts,” the researchers concluded in the journal Psychological Science. 

Shortly, you the reader will understand why I extensively quoted the aforementioned author who wrote meticulously on the concept of wisdom but first let me say that the needless controversy that emerged after a recent interview by the former Army Chief Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai necessitated this reflection aimed at putting his expressed thoughts in their proper perspective. 

A young writer wrote thus: “My theory. Boko Haram is an enterprise. The wheel of the war must be kept spinning for the profiteers and racketeers of blood. The insurgency has raged on for more than a decade. And when it appears the vestiges of the insurgents are finally being erased, they rise again like the phoenix from the ashes – to become stronger, more coordinated and more ubiquitous. It is grand delusion to assume that the machinations of these deviants do not have insider abutment”.

The above quote from Fredrick Nwabufo’s February 12, 2020’s article titled “My Theory: Boko Haram is an Enterprise” describes the counterterrorism engagements in Nigeria, which has, over the last ten years, come to the fore of national discourse, and remains in the news almost daily. This is due in large part to the incessant attacks by Boko Haram terrorists who are bent on establishing an Islamic Caliphate in Nigeria’s North-East region.

According to a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in June 2021, since taken up arms against the Nigerian state in 2009, Boko Haram terrorists have killed about 350,000 people in the North-East, 90 per cent of whom were children.  

Similarly in the North-West, bandits have continued to murder, ransack communities and kidnap citizens (especially schoolchildren) in their hundreds for ransom; forcing schools closure in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara on different occasions. 

This turn of events have also prompted something of a backlash against such military or “hard” approaches to countering terrorism. Partly in response, states and civil society have sought out softer, often preventive, measures to deal with violent extremism, many of which have been deemed more successful than military approaches and less likely to foment a new generation of violent extremists.

One of such advocates for a new approach to the fight against terrorism and banditry is the former Chief of Army Staff and current Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic; Lieutenant General Yusuf Tukur Buratai whose recent campaign for the deradicalisation of bandits and terrorists, and the education of northerners, which according to him will positively impact on the war against terror has been misrepresented in some of  media platforms to portend that he was saying that Northerners are terrorists.

Buratai, while speaking on Friday, December 31, 2021 during a special end-of-year review programme on Channels Television tagged: Year 2021: Battles, Resilience And The New Normal reportedly emphasized that there should be more deradicalisation and further education on the impact and consequence of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings in the society to the people who live in town so that they don’t support the bandits or the terrorists in the bush.

To agree with the media reports that the statement by Buratai meant that Northerners are religiously attached to terrorism would be a misjudgment. Rather, Buratai was merely emphasizing the need for more proactive engagement in the area of ideologies.

Perhaps, in the current national security environment, there is little question that terrorism is among the gravest of threats. Massive resources throughout the government and private sectors have been allocated and re-allocated to the task of preventing terrorism. These efforts, however, often lack a conceptual – let alone empirically-based-foundation for understanding terrorists and their acts of violence.

Undoubtedly, this void creates a serious challenge at many levels, from policy-level decisions about how a state should respond to terrorism, to individual-level decisions about whether a given person of interest, who espouses extremist ideas, truly poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s personnel, assets, and interests.

Ideologies have been described as systems of belief with collective properties and purpose. “An ideology”, J. Leader-Maynard observed, “is a distinctive system of normative, semantic, and/or reputedly factual ideas, typically shared by members of groups or societies, which underpins their understanding of their political world and shapes their political behaviour”.

The collective social-components of ideology are central properties that are highlighted across the academic disciplines that have developed our understanding of the term. For Michael Freeden; the political theorist, ideologies constituted “imaginative maps collectively produced and collectively consumed in unpredictable ways”.

J. Wilson; a sociologist, similarly defined ideologies as cognitive maps of shared values and expectations delineating standards and expectations, thus serving both as a “clue to understanding and as a guide to action”.

The anthropologist; Clifford Geertz, meanwhile, described ideologies as “maps of problematic social reality and matrices for the creation of collective conscience”. How can these communal maps of our social world be ‘used’ to encourage collective violence?

From the forgoing, it could be inferred that ideology plays a crucial role in terrorist’s target selection; it supplies terrorists with an initial motive for action and provides a prism through which they view events and the actions of other people.

Those people and institutions whom they deem guilty of having transgressed the tenets of the terrorists’ ideologically‐based moral framework are considered to be legitimate targets which the terrorists feel justified in attacking.

As an extension of this, ideology also allows terrorists to justify their violence by displacing the responsibility onto either their victims or other actors, whom in ideological terms they hold responsible for the state of affairs which the terrorists claim led them to adopt violence.

While it is not the only factor which determines whether a potential target is attacked, ideology provides an initial range of legitimate targets and a means by which terrorists seek to justify attacks, both to the outside world and to themselves.

Therefore, Amb. Buratai has evoked consciousness on the need to engage more from the point of view of ideological beliefs, having identified it as a powerful message that motivates and propels ordinary human beings into action, which is being created by the interpretation of events by ideologues.

Observably, ideology has been seen to frame organizational structure, leadership and membership motivation, recruitment and support, and shapes the strategies and tactics adopted by the group.

Terrorists and Bandits craft their ideology by interpreting, reinterpreting or misinterpreting religion and politics. Ideology is used to attract and retain recruits as members, supporters and sympathizers.

Hence, Buratai applied his advocacy call for deradicaliation and further education on the basis that the personal history and worldview of an individual may make him or her more or less susceptible to a particular terrorist or extremist ideology.

Again, using ideology, contemporary terrorist groups recruit followers from a cross- section of society – the rich, the poor, the educated and the less educated. To generate both recruits and support, they indoctrinate their potential and existing support base. Ideology is inculcated by disseminating it in the form of information or propaganda using lectures, speeches, pronouncements, writings, etc. 

So in Buratai’s viewpoint, to counter the threat posed by a group, its operational infrastructure must be dismantled and its conceptual infrastructure eroded. As terrorism is a vicious by-product of ideological extremism, Buratai has once again engineered government and society to develop an ideological response to make it difficult for terrorist groups to replenish their human losses and material wastage.

Broadly, terrorism is a vicious by-product of extremism, as such, it is essential to counter ideological extremism. The three approaches to combating this threat are to invest in operational counter terrorism, strategic counter terrorism and conflict resolution respectively.

Apparently, research on violent extremism is perhaps enjoying its long-overdue golden age, with more researchers, better data, and greater respect for strong theory and rigorous methods than ever before. Despite great progress, the relationship between ideology and violence remains poorly understood.

Individual pathways towards terrorism are immensely varied and complex and some, perhaps most, who go down those paths find ways in which to support violent outcomes while avoiding direct involvement in its execution. Such actions are celebrated and embraced at all levels of terrorist organizations, from group leaders and strategists to grassroot supporters. Causes, processes and conclusions are diverse.

Amb. Tukur. Yusuf Buratai; former chief of army staff and current Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic has for the umpteenth time called the attention of various stakeholders that there is much more to be done regarding the exploration of how, where and when ideology matters for our understanding of violent extremism.

Conclusively, ideology is not merely one element that sits aside these pathways that some encounter and others do not. Rather, ideology is fundamentally part of the environment, affecting all who participate and their perceptions of what they encounter, in different ways and to differing degrees. This is the essence of Buratai’s campaign for deradicalization and further education, which is being misrepresented.

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and wrote in from www.thenigerianinsidernews.com. 

By Emmanuel Onwubiko 

By the time political and governance history is compiled about Nigeria, the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration is sure to be commended in the most profound manner for his dexterity in finding capable hands to manage one of Nigeria’s most complex institutions- the National Youths Service Corps Scheme. President Muhammadu Buhari will also be remembered for taking the National Youth Service Corps scheme to the pedestal of a phenomenon.  His administration has consistently put Nigeria’s resources to good use in the NYSC in such a way that in just two years, the Ibrahim Shuaibu leadership has successfully redefined the concept of broad-based leadership by good examples. This much was stated by someone who played successfully within the private sector and reached his phenomenal peak in management in one of the most reputable companies in the world known as Aliko Dangote before delving into politics in 2019 whereby he got elected as the governor of Nasarawa State in a landslide victory. This is the man who made the remarkable statement that Ibrahim Shuaibu who just got promoted to the rank of a Major General has redefined the governance of the NYSC. 

The Executive Governor of  Nasarawa State Engineer  Abdullahi Sule had described the recently  promoted  Director General of the National  Youth Service Corps Major  General  Shu’aibu Ibrahim as a worthy ambassador of  Nasarawa people for his strategic role in redefining the operations of the NYSC Scheme as a catalyst of development.

He said his achievements were testified by the Founding father  of the NYSC General  Yakubu Gowon and many State Governors who appreciated his impactful leadership in reinventing the NYSC and making it more relevant.

Engineer  Sule who was a Special Guest of Honour during the GRAND reception organised in honour of the NYSC DG for his elevation to the rank of a Major General in the  Nigerian  Army.

The Governor who paid glowing tribute to General  Shu’aibu, admitted that the  DG  worked hard to deserve his elevation especially in the area of empowering corps members through Skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development,  reinvigoration of NYSC ventures and ensuring provision of a comprehensive documentation of NYSC activities and interventions in national development agenda.

“I’m a proud Governor  because every state you go, the Governor will speak eloquently about the way you have redefined the Youth Service Corps in his state. You came , you saw and you have redefined the NYSC through many interventions which you mostly created ” the Governor stated.

Speaking further,  Governor Sule commended  the new policy drive of the  NYSC aimed at empowering corps members through 

acquisition of skills for self-employment which he said is the best option out of the problem of unemployment for our teeming graduate youths .

In their separate goodwill messages, the Emir of Keffi Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa and House of Representatives member representing  Nasarawa Toto Federal Constituency in Nasarawa  State, Honourable Ari Mohammed Abdulmumini expressed  delight at the  unprecedented achievements recorded by General  Shu’aibu which earned him successive promotions up to Major General especially his numerous accomplishments in the NYSC Scheme.  They both said Nasarawa state people are proud to be associated with his uncommon achievements and wish him more success in future.

The Hoourable Minister  of Youth and Sports Development  , represented by his Permanent Secretary  Alh Isma’ila Abubakar  commended the Director General for providing the  required leadership which motivated staff to support him in achieving the successess recorded.  He urged him not to relent in his efforts to  further elevate the NYSC Sheme to greater heights.

In her remarks on behalf of NYSC Staff and Corps members nationwide,  the Director,  Informstion and Communication Technology, (ICT) Mrs Christy Uba enumerated the achievements of General  Shu’aibu to include among others; optimum utilisation of the potentials of corps members,   reinvigoration of NYSC Ventures and Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship (SAED) programme, enforcement of a credible mobilization  process,  documentation of NYSC activities , enhancement of  staff and Corps welfare, provision of ICT Centre, proposed NYSC Radio among others.

In his response, General  Shu’aibu thanked God for His  grace in his successive elevation in the Military and appreciated the Governor of Nasarawa State, Community Leaders, Staff and Corps members for the uncommon honour.

The NYSC Director General expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for finding him worthy to be so appointed as the Chief Executive of  the NYSC Scheme. He equally appreciated the Minister of Defence  and Chief of Army Staff for believing in his capacity and their endorsement of his promotion to the rank of a Major General after earning a steady elevation in the last 28 years of his career .  The  DG further stated that his principles in life is targeted towards touching lives and pledges to devote his life in furtherance of this philosophy.

“All I have achieved in  life was as a result of prayers of those  I have come across in the  course of my life”, he stated.

The  Director General commended various stakeholders of the Scheme for their support and called on them to sustain their advocacy for the success of the proposed NYSC Trust Fund which aims at empowering youth Corps members and addressing infrastructural challenge of the Scheme

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim, went on to pour encomiums on the President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for finding him worthy to be appointed to showcase his potentials.

He also thanked the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Army Staff for having him worthy to be promoted to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army.

Ibrahim who stated these during a grand reception on his elevation to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army said his rise to the rank was not a surprise as he had neither missed any promotion nor lobbied for it for the past 28 years.

The NYSC boss said that he had never missed promotion in his 28 years of service in the military, which was facilitated by his principle of touching lives.

He said, “My principle in life is to touch our fellow human beings and if you cannot touch your fellow human beings, you are not fit to live and that is the principle I have lived for and that is the principle I will die for.

“All I have achieved in life is as a result of prayers of those that I have come across in life because as I touch one another they pray for me.

“Having gone through 28 years of service in the military, I have not missed promotion; my promotions do come as and when due and all these are as a result of this principle of hard work and commitment.”

While stressing the contribution of corp members to national development, the NYSC DG further reiterated the need for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund to cater to their needs.

“We cannot thank them enough and that is why I use this opportunity to appeal to Federal Government, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and members of the National Assembly to please support the establishment of NYSC Trust Fund because when this is established, it is like reinvigorating the NYSC again,” he said.

Recently, an observer reflected on some of the milestones made by the Director General of the NYSC and captured these in such a way that there is no longer doubts that the rise of the Director General of the NYSC has inevitably led to the phenomenal rise and growth of the institution that he has led in the last two years and some few Month as the Director General. 

The DG reportedly attracted funding for corps members business proposals. Some of the new collaborations in this regard include an enterprise development programme with the Unity Bank tagged Corpreneurship which offers a sandwich training and competition leading to award of business funds as prizes. The British America Tobacco Nigeria America Foundation (BATNF) is also funding a “Farmers for the Future” programme which offers agro-entrepreneurial training and mentoring for corps members and empowerment with money, land, agricultural inputs and services to the tune of N5, 000,000. Others are the Enterprise Development Centre partnership which has benefitted 140 corps members, the Access Bank Lions’ Den partnership which is offering a package of business funding and mentoring totaling N3, 000,000, the Leventis Foundation one year internship in its farm settlements and empowerment to establish afterwards and the NIRSAL MFB special loan package without the encumbrance of collateral.    

The farms and agricultural ventures of the Scheme have equally been expanded and strengthened under the watch of Ibrahim, as documented in a well articulated newspaper  article recently.  

The administration of the DG of NYSC at the moment keyed into the Government’s policy of diversifying the economy through harnessing opportunities in the agricultural sector. In line with the Federal Government’s policy on rice production, he is reportedly upgrading and repositioning NYSC farms for massive production and processing of rice. New equipments have been purchased for the NYSC rice farms in Ezillo, Ebonyi State and Saminaka, Kebbi State. He also recently secured 16 hectres of land from the Nasarawa State Government to expand the scope of the Scheme’s farming activities.

These are in addition to ensuring optimum operation of the NYSC Bread and water factories in Kubwa, Abuja and the Garment factories in Anambra and Niger States and resuscitating the NYSC Feed mill in Lagos. His efforts are yielding the desired result as the revenue generation profile of the Scheme through its Ventures initiatives has tremendously improved. Apart from expanding the Scheme’s agricultural ventures the DG has engendered partnerships with several agro-based organizations to contribute and boost the Federal Government’s initiative on food security as well train corps members on agro business. They include the IITA, ARMT, NALDA, NCRI and NCAM among others.

Engagement with critical stakeholders is inevitably one important strategy adopted by the Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim hierarchy   of NYSC which has been quite effective as it has attracted tremendous increase in stakeholders support for the scheme. 

His audience with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum led to State Governments making remarkable gestures including Completion of  new NYSC permanent Orientation Camps in Anambra and Edo, construction of a 500-capacity’ hostel at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Kaduna, provision of power transformer, 1,500 double-bunk beds, 3,000 mattresses as well as on-going construction of a 5,000-capacity Auditorium and internal roads at the NYSC Camp Rivers State, construction of 250-capacity hostel at the NYSC Camp, in Akwa Ibom State. Others are provision of land for the expansion of the NYSC Secretariat in Dutse, construction of 700-capacity hostels, Camp Clinic, Staff Quarters and sinking of industrial borehole at the NYSC Camp in Delta State, construction of 2,500-capacity multi-purpose hall at the NYSC Camp, Niger State, Construction of internal roads at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nasarawa State, among others.  Literally, this young military officer from Nasarawa with a choice Doctorate degree sleeps, dreams and walk thinking only about how to strategically reposition the NYSC Scheme to assume a high pedestal. 

The impact of the yearly meeting with representatives of State governments (also instituted by the Ibrahim management) has been profoundly rewarding. It is said  that at this year’s meeting in April, the Ekiti and Edo State Governments promptly approved lands for establishment of NYSC Garment factories few minutes after the request was made at the meeting. The Lagos State Government has also put in place modalities to build a 14,000 capacity Orientation Camp while twenty five states have commenced upgrading and rehabilitation of camp facilities and nine are expanding their camp facilities to meet the Scheme’s 5,000 corps members’ capacity need.

Other notable gains derived from the meetings include, constitution of functional NYSC State Governing Boards in seventeen states, eighteen states have enhanced payment of state allowance to corps members, provision and upgrading of Corps transit camps in thirty one states, increased partnership with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and provision of office and residential accommodation by states hosting the headquarters of the new Area Offices among others.

Security and welfare of corps members which are among the key areas of focus of the Major General Shu’aibu Ibrahim’s administration has equally recorded phenomenal success. 

As an exemplary demonstration of empathy and commitment to the welfare of Members of the Service Corps, it has become a tradition for him to personally visit and commiserate with parents of corps members whose wards were involved in accidents and other unpleasant incidents. He recently visited and encouraged corps Member, Saidu Mohammed Adamu, who was admitted at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, as a result of gunshot injuries he sustained while on election duties during the bye-election in Ekiti-East Local Government Area of the State in March 2021. 

It would seem that the Philosopher had Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim in mind when he espoused his teaching on the 10 Common Traits In Uncommon People. The Philosopher Craig Hysell wrote as follows: “People choose to pursue mediocrity (and it is a choice) for four reasons:

1. They have no idea what they want to do with their life

2. They have no idea how to do what they want to do with their life

3. They have an idea but are afraid to try

4. They have an idea, they “tried” it and “it didn’t work” so they quit

Mediocrity is easy. It’s comfortable. And it’s bullshit. The pursuit of commonality and the avoidance of adversity, criticism and the unknown are the surest possible way to die without expressing your full potential. Or worse, to die feeling like a failure. Is that you?

Here are 10 Common Traits in Uncommon People:

• Uncommon people believe they have a purpose, know their “Why” and live their dream. Think about that. Do you know why you’re here, do you have enough balls to live your most passionate calling and do you know what conviction(s) you will fall back on when things get hard? To establish these answers you must accumulate life experiences and then sit down in the quiet and think. There is no timetable on this accumulation and introspection. It could take years or decades. It is constant.

• Uncommon people are not absent of fear, they just do not let fear make their life become absent. Fear exists for all of us. But fear is bullshit. It is not real. It exists only in our minds. When you face your fears daily, you conquer fear. You realize that fear is indeed bullshit. It is the main control mechanism for commonality. You must not let fear, any and all fear, hold you back from pursuing your purpose.

• Uncommon people practice self-mastery. Uncommon people work relentlessly at mastering their mind, body, emotion and spirit (the four pillars that make up your life). They harness these things through daily study and practice. They understand that without a strong mind, all else will fail. They are patient. They enjoy The Process. They are positive. They structure the development and awareness of these four pillars- their emotional content- into a daily practice. They reflect upon these four pillars daily.

• Uncommon people are self-reliant. This does not mean that uncommon people do not ask for help, on the contrary, being part of a team is vital to growing and sharing larger success. To be self-reliant is to trust that your critical eye, your logic, your reason and your wisdom are tools enough to help you continue to grow. This is not absolutism. Absolutism is folly. This is the ability to understand what is worthless to you and what is not, no matter what the crowd may think, and pursue this relentlessly.

• Uncommon people have an unwavering discipline. You cannot learn anything worthwhile if you are not devoted to it fully. Uncommon people “burn the boats”* and go all-in. Uncommon people are disciplined with work, with rest and with play. They make time for all of it and they are fully present at each exploration. This is a lifetime pursuit.

• Uncommon people are obsessed with the cultivation of their purpose. Uncommon people do not bitch about trivial things. Nothing matters except what matters. They are focused on where they want to go, paying attention to each deliberate step along the way. Silly things like the accumulation of stuff and then complaining when the stuff isn’t just right or gossiping about others is not part of an uncommon person’s life.

• Uncommon people are extremely durable. Uncommon people remain undeterred by setbacks, failure or defeat. They recognize these things as learning tools and nothing more. They do not falter or waver for long. They do not wallow in self-loathing. They possess supreme confidence in their ability to continue forward. They persevere. No matter what. They are fully accountable for everything that happens in their life. With accountablity comes control and with control comes the ability to change.

• Uncommon people inspire change. Uncommon people inspire others to follow suit. They show what is possible and make it possible not only for others to come with them, but for others to improve upon what they have provided. Uncommon people hack out the avenue for others to become uncommon as well.

•  Uncommon people act. Uncommon people understand that you are what you do. That’s it and that’s all. Whatever you are doing, no matter what you are thinking or dreaming, is you who are. Best to link your actions with your dreams and your purpose. Best to pursue greatness daily. Best to ask of yourself often, “Is this the best I can do?” Otherwise: a thought without action is simply a wish.

• Uncommon people do not give a shit what others think. It is tough in the beginning to find your voice. As soon as you begin to talk, others want to talk over you, critique you, tell you how you should do things, twist your voice or use your message against you. Uncommon people persevere through this. They learn not to give a shit about what others might think and realize that you cannot be all things to all people. Uncommon people speak their mind and follow their heart. Their honesty, especially if clear, concise and principled, attracts others who are like-minded. And things begin to expand, slowly at first and then… BOOM!

You must have fun with the practice of becoming uncommon. It’s serious business to be sure, but if it isn’t something you love and enjoy, what’s the point?

You must practice uncommonality daily. All the time. You must be patient. You must shut out negativity and seek the mentorship and guidance of others who have been there before you or teach what you desire to know. You must look long and hard at yourself and those around you. Is this who you want to be? You must be accountable for everything, and I mean everything, in your life. It’s all, every little bit of it, up to you. Any thought to the contrary is commonality in its many devious forms.

Listen. Observe. Act. Adapt. Evolve. Repeat.

Uncommonality should be a lifetime pursuit. There is no timetable save this: realize that you are going to die one day and you have no idea when that day will come. There is no time to waste. Meet your death with the satisfaction that you gave this life all you had to give. That will be enough to die well, perhaps even unafraid.

*When Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont into Asia Minor with his army he ordered the ships burned. The message was clear, there was no turning back. What followed was one of the most impressive military campaigns ever recorded. It lasted ten years.

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects to this incredible feat was when Alexander’s army came across ascetics praying in the street and blocking the army’s passage. The ascetics would not be interrupted and Alexander was summoned. One of Alexander’s generals pointed to Alexander and proclaimed to the ascetics, “Do you know who this is? He is the conqueror of all the world. Who are you to stand in his way?”

To which one of the ascetics replied, “We have conquered the need to conquer the world.” 

It is said that Alexander spent the rest of the day with these men and upon returning to his army remarked that if he could be anything in the world, he would choose to be with those naked men practicing uncommonality in the street.

There is little or no existential doubt that Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim is an UNCOMMON PERSON. 

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and writes from Abuja. 

By Emmanuel Onwubiko 

The South African born anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu died a very peaceful death on a special day set aside for delivering gifts to the poorest of the poor in the spirit of the Christmas day. He died on December 26th 2021 at the very ripe age of 90. Being a boxing Day, December 26th remains remarkable for the philosophy behind the observation of that day as aforementioned. 

As a commentator on social media said, Archbishop Desmond Tutu died on a very special day and as someone who dedicated the whole of his life to the service of the unjustly oppressed and the marginalised,  this observer stated that the demise of this Icon of freedom and social justice in South Africa couldn’t have happened on a better day.  Anyway, in as much as the death of this uncommon African has been described as a celebration of iconic milestones made in one lifetime by a legend in the person of Archbishop Desmond Tutu at a very old age of 90, his death is still being felt as something unexpected because most of his followers would want him to stay a bit longer and to spread more love and show the World the kind of uncommon enlightenment on social justice,  peace and real reconciliation.  

The question to be considered adequately here is in the area of Christian evangelism which Desmond Tutu was ordained for in the Anglican Church long before the ideological collapse of the global Anglican Church movement when England adopted certain far-reaching steps that offended the Conservative wing of the Church. Steps such as the ordination of Women bishops and the support for same gender sexual relationship and marriage divided the global communion of Anglicanism into clearly defined schools of thought just as most of the Anglican Churches in Africa pulled out of any kind of allegiance to the head of the Anglican communion in England- the Primate of Church of England. 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is known to have backed the practice of same gender sexual orientation which a lot of Christians say offends the Holy Bible especially with the remote and immediate causes of the destruction of Babel. 

The head of the over two billion Roman Catholic Church did not even reflect the aspect that Archbishop Desmond Tutu supported gay marriage which theologically impacted on his role as a Bishop negatively because Biblically,  sane gender sexual relationship is not permitted. 

Rather Pope Francis scandalously addressed Desmond Tutu as a disciple of the Gospel.  Which Gospel if I may ask? 

Nevertheless, Pope Francis according to Vatican news sent a telegramme of condolence on the death South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has died at the age of 90.

Pope Francis had sent his condolences to the family and loved ones of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has died aged 90.

In a telegramme sent to Archbishop Peter B. Wells, Apostolic Nuncio in South Africa and signed by Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Pope said he was saddened to learn of the Archbishop’s death.

Pope Francis also paid tribute to his service to the Gospel through the “promotion of racial equality and reconciliation in his native South Africa.”

In the telegramme, the Pope invoked “the divine blessings of peace and consolation of the Lord” upon all who mourn Archbishop Tutu’s passing.

In a message posted on its website, the Southern African Bishops’ Conference conveyed its condolences to “Mrs Leah Tutu, the family and the Anglican Church over the death of the Late Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Desmond Mpilo Tutu.”

The Archbishop, the message read, “will be remembered for his immense spiritual contribution to the liberation and democracy of South Africa, the reason for which he was a joint laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. His quest for justice continued when he was the Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and beyond.”

The Anglican Archbishop was born near Johannesburg but spent most of his later life in Cape Town and led numerous marches and campaigns to oppose the policy of racial segregation and discrimination.

When apartheid came to an end in the early 1990’s and Nelson Mandela became president of the country, Archbishop Tutu was named chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

As well as winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Archbishop was awarded the Templeton Prize for his “life-long work in advancing spiritual principles such as love and forgiveness which has helped to liberate people around the world”.

A bishop, in some Christian churches, is the chief pastor and overseer of a diocese, an area containing several congregations. Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and other churches have maintained the view that bishops are the successors of the Apostles and that an unbroken line of succession connects the Apostles to all legitimate bishops, a doctrine known as apostolic succession. Until February 11, 1989, when Barbara Harris was ordained a bishop in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the apostolic-succession churches had reserved the office only for men, so reports Encyclopedia Britanica.

What is a bishop? What is a biblical definition of bishop to be specific? Findings from a research presentation made a scholar says that in the New Testament, bishop is a translation of the Greek word episkapos. The same word is also translated elder, pastor, or overseer. All of these words refer to the same role of the leader of a local church.

In the earliest congregations, the term elder was the most common name associated with a local church leader. By the time the apostle Paul wrote Philippians, however, in approximately AD 49, he referred to both elders and deacons.

First Timothy 3 and Titus 1 offer the most comprehensive look at what an elder is to be and to do. First Timothy 3:1-7 notes:

“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [bishop], he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”

Many observations can be noted from this list. First, a bishop or elder is a noble role. Second, it is a role that requires a high level of personal character and spiritual maturity. Third, the bishop must be able to effectively teach others the doctrines of God’s Word.

Two other aspects of the biblical bishop are also important to note. All of the pronouns used in reference to elders or bishops in the New Testament are masculine. Only men were permitted to serve as elders in the New Testament church.

Second, the term bishop accord to this researcher has changed in church traditions since the New Testament period. Many layers of leadership were added to Western Christianity. By the time the Council of Nicea was held in AD 325, the term bishop was regularly applied to the Christian leader of each city or region. One bishop was responsible for several churches, overseeing the individual lead elders at each church location. Many denominations and church traditions continue this use of the term bishop today.

Again, the biblical definition of a bishop referred to the leaders of a local church. These were male leaders who had integrity, spiritual maturity, and the ability to teach God’s Word effectively to others. Beautiful research on the functionality of a Bishop. From the above, it is clear that Archbishop Desmond Tutu with his support for LGBTQ Rights may not truly be regarded as a successful bishop of the Gospel. 

Perhaps the Voice of America’s investigative story on the views of Africans on the constructive support that Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave to gay marriage represents the larger percentage of the perception by Africans that he failed as a Bishop.  

Entitled: “Tutu’s Advocacy for LGBTQ Rights Did Not Sway Most of Africa” the Voice of America carried the below extensive interviews on Desmond Tutu that captures the bulk of the positions of most Christians in Africa on Desmond Tutu. 

Desmond Tutu, the broadcasting behemoth said is being remembered for his passionate advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ people as well as his fight for racial justice. But the South African archbishop’s campaign against homophobia had limited impact in the rest of Africa, where same-sex marriage remains illegal and most countries criminalize gay sex.

Even within his own denomination, the Anglican Communion, there has been no continentwide embrace of LGBTQ rights. Leaders of Ghana’s Anglican Church, for example, have joined other religious leaders there in endorsing a bill that would impose prison sentences on people who identify as LGBTQ or support that community.

Before Tutu died Sunday at age 90, most African religious leaders rejected his LGBTQ positions, and those who agreed with him often were cautious, said Kenya-based researcher Yvonne Wamari of Outright Action International, a global LGBTQ-rights organization.

“Most of them are unwilling to offer their contrary views due to fear of reprisal and backlash for not conforming with ‘African values,’” Wamari said via email. “As long as the religious leaders are unwilling to interpret the Bible from the lens of love for all, as Tutu did, homophobia and transphobia will remain a part of our lives.”

Homosexual activity remains outlawed in more than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries; in a few, it is punishable by death. Many LGBTQ Africans are subject to stigma and abuse, facing unemployment, homelessness and estrangement from their families.

Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Political Studies, described Tutu as “a moral giant” who held to his convictions — including support for LGBTQ people — no matter how risky or unpopular it could be. This statement from the West throwing strong support behind Desmond Tutu on gay marriage is diametrically opposed to by African Christians and tried as he did, the late South African cleric could not convince Africans on why they should ideologically accord recognition to gay marriage.  

For example, VOA reported that Archbishop Desmond Tutu was mocked in 2013 by Robert Mugabe, then the repressive leader of Zimbabwe.

“Tutu should just step down because he supports gays, something that is evil,” Mugabe told a political rally.

That same year, Tutu uttered one of his most memorable comments about LGBTQ inclusion.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic,” he said. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.’”

South Africa is the only African country that has legalized same-sex marriage, and its constitution protects against anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Yet even there, violence against LGBTQ people remains common.

In Cape Town, where Tutu was the Anglican archbishop, members of the LGBTQ community reacted to his death with tributes.

Throughout his life, Tutu stuck “to the ideas of promoting absolute love, absolute acceptance and absolute kindness, no matter who you are, no matter your sexuality or race,” activist Saya Pierce-Jones said.

Daniel Jay, who works in the medical industry, said Tutu’s support for LGBTQ people was pivotal in South Africa’s decision to make HIV drugs available at no cost.

 In Botswana, the Court of Appeal last month unanimously upheld a 2019 ruling that decriminalized consensual same-sex activities. Previously, gay sex was outlawed and offenders faced up to seven years in prison. A few other African countries also have decriminalized same-sex relationships in recent years, including Angola, Mozambique.

In Senegal, 13 opposition legislators recently introduced a bill to toughen penalties against homosexuality, doubling the maximum sentence to 10 years. Parliament members from the governing coalition say such a measure is unnecessary since homosexual acts are already illegal.

In Ghana, parliament members continue to work on a bill that has been condemned by LGBTQ-rights supporters in the West African country and abroad. Among other things, the bill seeks to criminalize the promotion and funding of LGBTQ activities, and disseminating information about LGBTQ people.

Alex Kofi Donkor, director of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, expressed regret that relatively few African faith leaders shared Tutu’s outlook.

“A lot of African preachers hold a lot of prejudice, hate and disgust for the LGBTQ community,” he said.

Controversy over the Ghana bill has highlighted the challenges facing the global Anglican Communion, which has taken LGBTQ-friendly positions not embraced by many Anglican leaders in Africa.

In October, Justin Welby, the Church of England’s archbishop of Canterbury and the symbolic head of Anglicans worldwide, said he was “gravely concerned” about the bill and would discuss the Anglican Church of Ghana’s response to the bill with Ghana’s archbishop.

He issued a statement reminding Ghana’s Anglican leaders that the global body of Anglican leaders had committed itself to opposing anti-LGBTQ discrimination and the criminalization of same-sex activity.

But in mid-November, Welby apologized for failing to speak to the Ghanaian church before issuing his statement of concern.

A few days later, he issued another ambivalent statement, referring to ongoing “private conversations” that would become “useless or harmful” if made public.

As an activist, I do not support homophobic discrimination and the criminalization of same-sex activity but the truth is that it will take virtually another century to be able to see an Africa whereby the traditional outlook on marriage may be weakened. 

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and writes from www.thenigerianinsidernews.com. 

By David John Akpan

I have read so many commentaries and reactions to the acquisition of Union Bank by Titan Trust Bank (TTB), most of which I consider not just sentimental but naive.

Let me start by saying that every happening in our country should not be given political coloration, even if it is true that the government or governments in power are not performing. We should criticize the government, including this APC government and demand accountability, but lets conciously avoid the temptation of viewing every issue through political prisms.

Mergers and Acquisitions are global issues and strictly business decisions whose dynamics go beyond company’s age or assets size. Some of us who are a bit older witnessed Standard Trust Bank in 2005 acquire UBA. If you do a bit of research you will be amazed of the ‘David-Goliath’ chasm that existed between the 2 companies even at that time.

What I am saying is that such transaction is not just a Nigerian thing. Netflix, an American company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph was just a new player in the entertainment industry, yet acquired Blockbuster in a deal that stunned the entire world and has become a global case study in Executive Business programs till today.

Today’s business world, is called ‘VUCA’; meaning V- Volatile, U-Uncertain, C-Complex/Competitive and A-Ambiguous. Unfortunately in a VUCA world, age and size are no longer a source of competitive advantage. The greatest competitive advantage now is the ability to adapt to the digital and technology disruption. It is called Digital Innovation; It means ‘Agility’ or ‘Nimbleness’. So you either innovate or you die.

To be fair, our dear Union Bank had shown some resilience in digital innovation in the past few years and under the current management, considering their history. However, the body language of stakeholders still shows an unholly attachment to the ‘Big, Strong, Reliable’ mantra.

About 3 years ago, I walked into one of thier branches in Lagos to pay some bills. Fantastic ambiance, I must say and maybe some improvement in staff attitude and their processes. But what struck me, and very conspicuously was that I was about the youngest of about 15 customers in the massive banking hall. You can guess my age.

So in terms of customer base, there probably wasn’t a deliberate demographic transitioning toward the millennials or Gen Zs. The implication is that their customer base is still dorminated by Digital immigrants as against Digital Natives(young people who are digitallly savvy). With such polarization, especially in a ‘Click Economy’ that oùrs has become (an economy where transactions are consumeted by the click of buttons on tech devices), the question will move from whether the business will die, to when it will die.

Again, Union Bank may have adapted, but at what speed?The speed at which an organization innovates matters as well. When the rate of change or disruption in an industry is faster than the speed at which an organization adapts/innovates, death, acquisition or bankruptcy become imminent.This is called Digital Darwinism. Exactly what happened to Kodak.

Like Union Bank, Blockbuster or Kodak, if you are in business and you refuse to innovate or you are working for an organization, yet you refuse to acquire digital skills that will keep you relevant, your business or job is under serious threat. I advise that you take urgent steps in order not to become the next victim of Digital Darwinism.

By Emmanuel Onwubiko 

“…tactics …is only a small part of generalship. For a general must also be capable of furnishing military equipment and providing supplies for the men; he must be resourceful, active, careful, hardy and quick-witted; he must be both gentle and brutal, at once straightforward and designing, capable of both caution and surprise, lavish and rapacious, generous and mean, skilful in defence and attack; and there are many other qualifications, some natural, some acquired, that are necessary to one who would succeed as a general”.

A writer on charismatic leadership  once credited the phenomenal successes of leadership to their faith in the Use of Influence, and Not Power.

The writer submits that no one likes a pompous leader. Rather than relying on the shortsighted and limiting power of position, reap the long-term benefits that come from building trust and influence. If you use power, good people will leave you and other people will get you. When you rely on the external power of your leadership position you not only expose weakness in yourself, you build weakness in others by forcing them to acquiesce, stifling their growth and the potential for their unique contribution.

Ultimately, the entire relationship is weakened. Defensiveness ensues, low trust follows, and potential for cooperation is lost—smothered by negative emotion. Fight the imprudent impulse to command, and direct and invest in the higher, more refined skills of finesse, influence, and persuasion.

Patience, finesse, influence, and persuasion are the building blocks of increased impact.

The writer affirmed that leaders  promote Daily Progress because leaders are only deemed successful if they get results, and they get those results through working with people. The only way people do great things is by focusing on their strengths and possibilities. Leaders set the stage for this focus. On any given day, your team’s efforts will be influenced by a mix of perceptions, emotions, and motivations that can either pull them to higher performance or drag them down. Setbacks can send team spirit spiraling downward to the point where frustration and disgust take over.

Leaders have tremendous influence in promoting daily progress by ensuring team members have the environment they need to make steady progress and maintain momentum. Avoid the toxicity of high pressure, punitive, and judgmental measures that constrain momentum. Rather, set clear goals for meaningful work. Provide autonomy and promote ownership of the outcomes. Nourish your team’s efforts through affiliation, showing respect, words of encouragement, and minimizing daily hassles.

Charismatic leaders the writer says meticulously builds a Body of Behavior.

Besides the writer says be more of a model than a critic. Eschew the all-too-common “Killer Cs” that will keep you in the weakness of victim mode. Negativity will rob you of energy, initiative, and impact. Avoid these killer Cs: Criticizing; Complaining; Competing; Comparing; Colluding; and Contending.

Tje authors says don’t ’t criticize. Talk about what went well. Show your team what is possible. Add energy to the context. Be consistent. Your team is faced with being productive in spite of problems and hassles. When they know that they can consistently count on you for support and direction, momentum skyrockets.

Great leaders the author says focuses on What Is Right, Not Who Is Right.

Team members, the author says,  rely on leaders to create an environment that is impartial, where everyone has the same opportunities that are based on merit. Don’t take sides. Use conflict to demonstrate your commitment to organizational success. Model a higher perspective that lifts others from their petty preoccupations and carries them above the fray. Be a stronghold trailblazer that guides the upward purpose of your team.

The unique and distinct actions of a leader can create ripples, delivering an ever-increasing impact felt within and among teams. The greatest impact, however, might be a unique and distinct competitive advantage that can be difficult, if not impossible, for others to duplicate. When you employ these seven secrets and increase your leadership impact, you set up your entire organization for success.

The above snippets of phenomenal leadership attributes are from Brian Braudis who is a certified coach, speaker, and author of High Impact Leadership: 10 Action Strategies for Your Ascent, Galloway, New Jersey (www.TheBraudisGroup.com).   Jun 27, 2017 | PM MAGAZINE. 

The beginning quotation from a book I read long ago that I can’t put my hands on the attribution best describes generalship in every sense of it hence the subject of this article. 

Pundits with patriotic flavour have, on numerous occasions, stated that the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd.) is a gift to Nigeria. This position is hinged on the exploits of the Nigerian Army under his command in the counter-insurgency operations in North-East Nigeria, as well as the Nigerian Army’ involvement in internal security operations.

The name Ambassador Tukur Yusufu Buratai, Lieutenant General (retd) sure rings a bell in the annals of the country. Take it or leave it, it would continue to resonate for a long time, especially at the mention of the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

The significance of General Buratai as the 24th Army Chief and the longest-serving in the history of the nation can be primarily conceptualized in the context of his continued achievements in terms of the nation’s security and sovereignty, and the strengthening of the Army to previously unprecedented heights.

Beyond opinions and sentiments, Buratai’s legendary of service critically situates the retired officer and man in the context of his time as an officer and Army Chief and dwells on concrete, clinical evidence of how he has continued to impact the Nigerian polity, and the lengths and limits of his achievements in and out of military uniform.

Ambassador TY Buratai is a former Chief of Army Staff; one that redefined purpose and engagement. He is such a great thinker. One won’t be wrong to regard him as one of the great strategists in the modern-day era because his exploits are legendary especially his desire to transform and enhance operational efficiency in combating insurgency.

Most striking is that as an Ambassador, he is still actively involved in the preservation of the country’s territorial integrity covertly. He may have dropped the uniform, but his contributions to national security and nation building are invaluable. This is a statement of fact, which those in the security and leadership space can attest to.

Only recently, the master strategist canvassed for strong and innovative think thank as a panacea to Nigeria Development during when he identified ignorance, a weak justice system and poor leadership among others as factors responsible for insecurity and other social challenges in the country.

Buratai, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, said this at the groundbreaking and fundraising for Tukur Buratai Research Centre (TBRC) at Gora in Nasarawa State.

The former Chief of Army Staff said the Centre would collaborate with the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in the fields of strategic studies, peace and conflict studies and leadership for development.

He said: “One may want to know why a retired general cum diplomat will decide to collaborate with a university to set up a think-tank like TBRC. Since this is a straight question, I will respond with an answer that is precise and straight to the point.

“My simple philosophy about life is to continue to live a life of value by improving on the system that we have. As someone from the military, I reckoned the best way for me and my associates to add value to our society and make our country better and stronger is through a think-tank like TBRC.’’

Buratai said Nigeria has potential for greatness but there were insufficient capabilities to transfer that potential into socio-economic benefits for the people. According to him, inadequate research and development implementation in Nigeria create a massive void in the nation’s progress.

“When properly focused research and training institutes are established, innovation and development become a natural progressive activity that benefits the nation’s life. In other words, Nigeria gains the ability to develop positively as a result of enhanced study and training.

“Corruption, insecurity due to terrorism and banditry, inadequate infrastructure, issues in governance and an inept educational system are all systemic flaws. With every amount of commitment made to research and training, as well as a strong national orientation one may be confident that we, as a people and a nation, are on the right track.’’

“I would like to utilize this TBRC platform to emphasize that now is the moment for us to turn within and devise home-grown solutions to our unique difficulties,’’ he said.

The ambassador further said that TBRC was his way of contributing to national development and giving back to society through a well-thought-out approach that would have a long-lasting impact on the country.

“As a result of the myriad of socio-economic and political challenges, it may be reasonable to argue that Nigeria can, to a large degree, resolve her development issues through research Buratai said’’

Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, the Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, said the institute and TBRC had identified their research and development partnership based primarily on security and strategic studies.

“The vision and mission of the Buratai centre align with the university’s policy and strategy for impacting the society. The centre’s motto which is to promote research for leadership and development is a strong statement about the ultimate value of research to impact humanity positively.

“We envisage that the centre will be a hub for cross-fertilization of ideas on security, peace, conflict, leadership and development issues,’’ Mohammed said.

Observably, life has different experiences for different people. Gen. Buratai (Rtd) has proven to be one of the greatest accomplished soldiers, innovators, strategists and conquerors to ever emerge in Nigeria’s recent history of the Army. 

Today, the Tukur Buratai Research Centre has once again demonstrated the extent of Gen. Buratai’s desire in the search of peace and security for Nigerians. These aspirations are uncommon in most leaders in our clime.  Beyond sentiments, it explains why he stands tall at all times and his name may not fade away anytime soon.

While one may avoid any discussion on the desire and aspirations of Lt Gen TY Buratai, the fact remains that his life as COAS and as a diplomat has became a beacon of hope and practical demonstration of leadership, patriotism, loyalty and defender of the supreme document, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Many a times, nationalism is understood in a narrow sense to mean one’s loyalty and service to the fatherland, especially involving those serving in the army, risking their lives and defending their fatherland. More than that, Buratai has demonstrated that nationalism also includes civilians who serve with honesty and commitment to the ideals of the land.

This is not borne out of some frenzied outbursts of emotions, but as Adlai Stevenson puts it, “patriotism involves the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. It consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that the country shall be righteous as well as strong.”

Introspectively, Ambassador TY Buratai’s commitment to nation building and loyalty was recognized when on July 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as Chief of Army Staff, which made him the highest military officer of the Nigerian Army, with the statutory responsibility to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of national security and operational competence of the force.

As a patriotic Nigerian and COAS, TY Buratai demonstrated loyalty and kept faith with the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Section 217 (2) states that the federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of defending Nigeria from external aggression, maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air.

In the past beginning with first military intervention in Nigeria on January 15, 1966, it was fashionable to hear and witness coups and counter coups, with reasons such as corruption, abuse of power, nepotism and insecurity. Military interventions became so frequent that Afro-pessimists would say that, “coups were as frequent as breakfast.”

Even the events of military interventions in Zimbabwe, Mali and the Sudan, were enough to sway the COAS to grab power because of man’s insatiable quest for power after power. For TY Buratai however, the constitution as a grundnorm  that embodies the laws of the land is sacrosanct.

There is no gain saying that Nigeria was bleeding on all fronts, providing a fertile ground for conspiracy leading ultimately to military intervention to save the ugly trend. The economy was and still structured in favour of few privileged individuals who live in affluence to the detriment of the majority of the people who live in misery and excruciating poverty, laying credence to Roberto Michel’s “Iron Law of Oligarchy,” that played out to ensure a gulf between the rich and the poor in Nigeria.

It is amazing that the institutions of higher learning in Nigeria, with their research centres in a state of being moribund, and hardly provides findings that would address the myriad challenges affecting life across the spectrum. These institutions produce medical doctors, but whenever we are sick, especially those from the political class, embark on medical tourism in foreign countries because in Nigeria, people die of even avoidable disease. Life has lost its value in the country.

Poverty is worn like breastplate in Nigeria, and this inhibits the people from exercising their volition on issues affecting their lives as daily as they live. Nigeria became the official world headquarters of poverty in 2019 based on a report from the World Poverty Clock. The same report predicts that, by the year 2030, more Nigerians would join the league of extremely poor people, making the country a home to the world poorest people.

Nigeria, the most populace nation amongst the black race has been embroiled in brutal campaigns occasioned by Boko-Haram insurgents, and accentuated by the religious extremism of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP). Banditry, kidnapping, and armed-robbery attacks have taken the centre stage. Climate change too, has threatened Nigeria’s food security with the consequence of increased forced migration, and rising tensions that trigger conflict, including presently herdsmen attacks nationwide.

For TY Buratai, an enduring solution to the above socioeconomic and political debacles could not be found in the desecration of Nigeria’s democracy, but through dialogue, collaboration and synergy of arms of government, tiers of government and other critical stakeholders.

His stock in trade was not taking to ‘blame-game,’ casting aspersions on other institutions for poor budgetary allocation, corruption, complicity, conspiracies of some stakeholders and the likes. The task before TY Buratai as a nationalist is the decimation of Boko-Haram terrorists and other elements of insecurity in Nigeria to achieve national integration, which he has continued to pursue even after dropping the military gag, evident from the vision and mission of the TBRC.

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA and writes from www.thenigerianinsidernews.com.