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Ambassador Buratai’s rising profile and Nigeria’s enemies

And some segments of the population were excited. They thought their moment had finally come to nail the coffin of Ambassador Tukur Yusuf Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff. This resulted from a news story published by an online news medium.

The allegations in the story could ordinarily make one puke. It was as horrendous as the medium that published it. Yes, welcome to the world of slander against the former Chief of Army Staff and now Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin.

But thank God the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had debunked the report as “inaccurate and concocted”. The import of the ICPC’s statement cannot be overemphasized. It has once again exposed the attempt by some shenanigans to undo the sterling leadership records of Ambassador T.Y Buratai.

Even though one of his sins remains his approach to the Boko Haram insurgency that recorded tremendous gains, Ambassador T.Y Buratai remained unalloyed to the Nigerian project through his stewardship at the helms of affairs of the Nigerian Army.

I have been privileged to have met Ambassador T.Y Buratai on two occasions. Once as the Chief of Army Staff and after he retired from the Nigerian Army, these meetings allowed me to peep into the world of the phenomena called TY Buratai.

Warm, calm and unassuming were attributes that you could never miss. He is indeed an epitome of humility and passion. There was no way the news making the rounds could have been accurate because his tenure as Chief of Army Staff was indeed one of the best in the annals of the Nigerian Army. But the enemies of Nigeria won’t rest until they get their imaginary pound of flesh.

It might interest Nigerians that Ambassador TY Buratai lives an easy-going life devoid of frivolities. He is indeed the soldier used to life in the trenches, where the basic things are necessary for survival. I recall at the second meeting I had with him after retirement, the simplicity of his lifestyle, even as a retired Chief of Army Staff, was astonishing.

Still down to earth, and there was nothing around him that indicated opulence. From his actions and surroundings, you could tell that this is indeed a different Nigerian, contrary to what has been peddled in the public space to malign his character.

I also gathered that he is as prudent as an economist, who emphasizes the need for clarification on needs and wants. As unbelievable as this might sound, that was the reality that confronted me. And why I elected to pen this article to dispel whatever news making the rounds in the public space concerning the colossal amount of monies recovered by the ICPC and linked to Ambassador TY Buratai.

It was a hatchet job. But a puerile one whose plot was dead on arrival. You could accuse Ambassador TY Buratai of being a pragmatic individual who would do anything to preserve his dignity. Living above his means is not his attribute, and this much those that have elected to sustain the defamation plot against him should come to terms with in all sincerity.

He is not new slander campaigns for inexplicable reasons. But for how longs would these vested interests continue to mislead the unsuspecting members of the general public? I sometimes wonder if it’s worth serving Nigeria diligently if all one could get is the constant emotional harassment of Ambassador TY Buratai and his family. Yes, issues can be canvassed, but when such issues hover in the realm of concoction and half-truths, it calls for concern.

Even though the clarification from the ICPC indeed puts issues in proper perspective, it is worrisome that this slander campaign against Ambassador TY Buratai has suddenly gained momentum in what I can call “Operation Destroy Buratai” I am not sure Ambassador TY Buratai was by any stretch of imagination rattled by the allegations. I can guess he took it in equanimity in his usual fashion.

His type is rare. And I wished he had such monies at his disposal because I know how he would utilize them to benefit those desirous of acquiring knowledge. The TY Buratai Research Centre, dedicated to human capital development, gives us a peep into his principles. In his words:

“It was W.H Auden who said, “We are here on Earth to do good to others. What others are here for, I don’t know.” My simple philosophy about life is to continue to live a life of value by improving our system. As someone from the military, I reckoned that 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.”

This is very instructive, and why those that have given a dog a bad name to hang it must rethink their strategy. TY Buratai remains a rising profile in leadership in Nigeria. His passion for doing the right thing for the common good can’t be questioned, and this much he displayed while he held sway as the Chief of Army Staff.

The TY Buratai phenomena can best be explained in a book to serve as a resource material in leadership. What more can I say? Let us wait for another episode from the enemies of Nigeria.

Adamu is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja.

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