A Journey Through Leadership: Reading Lt General Buratai’s Thoughs and Principles on the Journey to Leadership
By Dr MS Abubakar
A civilian’s reading through the legend of Buratai begins with uncertainty: how will I understand the voyage of a military officer? But the journey lends itself to lessons, humour, and the grace to which the book yields. Thoughts and Principles on the Journey to Generalship is an eleven chapters nonfictional book, which is partly memoir but opens itself to an inspirational aura and a how-to book which draws in not only military officers but also civilians.
The first chapter, “Destiny and the Army” takes a drive into the childhood of General Buratai, the history of the community he comes from, and the belief in man’s destiny. This last idea is a metaphysical reminder that everyone is destined towards different paths, and if they don’t lose focus, they will eventually get there. The informal tone of General Buratai creates an ambience of comfort for the reader as he tells us: “Let’s start with how I started as Cadet in 1981 and worked my way up to become an army general” (11).
Starting on the journey, the author takes us through the history of his community also called Buratai and his trajectory from Anguwar Sarki Musulmi Primary School to Lamisula Primary School and St. Patrick’s Primary School.
Destined for a military career, General Buratai’s friend Maman Mai Lawan informs him of the entrance exam into the Nigerian Defence Academy just a day before the examination, and both of them rode to the venue on Maman’s bike.
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When the result came out, Buratai was displeased as he got the admission, but his friend did not. The lesson therein for him is that “This life is full of mysteries and I think there are no coincidences in life; everything happens for a reason. All the people that cross our paths and the places we go to are not just mere coincidence, but most of us are short-sighted in our perception of life” (21).
What stirred my interest to keep going through the world General Buratai creates in this text is the general tone of motivation that moves through the book. Although the pace is set for young military officers, a general reader can appreciate the energy through the idea of leadership and commitment that ferried the author to becoming a general in the Nigerian army and his elevation to being the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff.
The book moves through what the author calls “the issue of military leadership and to be precise generalship…” and he informs us that generalship—the act of being a General—should not be looked at for its impressive title and the power that comes with it. But, for him “Generalship is all about leadership in the military which means bigger and greater responsibilities to the military and the nation” (30). The crux of leadership in the military—and by extension, learning from the military approach—is personal development.
He states that “ All I know is that personal development is very critical to any cadet or junior officer who wants to become a military leader in the mould of a general. I want to say leadership is something you attract and not something you pursue” (30) (Emphasis mine).
It is crucial to note that the feat of a book by an ex-military officer is crucial, as General Gabriel Abayomi Olanishakin (rtd) notes in the foreword to the book: “It is common for retired senior officers across the world to write books and memoirs even though this culture is somewhat poor in Africa and Nigeria in particular.
This has made others to be deprived of the experiences and lessons of such great officers” (1). With a first-hand experience of General Buratai decked in not only experience but a passional guide on ascendancy to generalship, he creates a path that other military officers should trail.
Thoughts and Principles on the Journey to Generalship: The Legend of Buratai vol. 3 is a riveting and instructive guide built on a simple narrative and guidance to the journey of being a general. It provides a distinctive perspective on the approach and victories of a great military career.
The author reveals the complexity of leadership and the sacrifices made in the trek to ascendancy in the military career and service to the country while taking readers on a compelling tour of the factual approach to leadership.
General Buratai’s strong sense of duty and devotion to his troops and the country are evident throughout the memoir, illuminating the steadfast commitment that characterizes true military leadership.
His engaging anecdotes and introspective thoughts not only offer insightful accounts of his leadership beliefs but shows a well-versed general who understands the items of leadership in all its ramifications. He notes that “Let me make it clear that these principles that I am about to share in this chapter have the power to take any good young officer to generalship” and what is more interesting for him, is a sense of duty to country, is that those principles of leadership that he proposes “are meant to help young officers in their journey to generalship so that they can serve the country better” (103).
The memoir is unquestionably an amazing and motivational tale and how-to book on the rise to general-ship, although it may not go as thoroughly into all facets of the General’s life and career, leaving readers wanting more in some instances. Nevertheless, this does not lessen the book’s overall impact as one anticipates other volumes.
The former Army general’s memoir, in sum, is a reflective and moving journey that weaves the personal history of childhood and schooling years, to the history of the village where he comes from, his way into the army, and the leadership traits that worked for him into a single narrative. His leadership insights and personal tales are a tapestry of bravery and commitment which helped his leadership skill.
This memoir will be a worthwhile and enlightening read for young military officers. It teaches them, not in the way a salesman sells ideas or goods that have not been tested; this is a first-hand experience of one of Nigeria’s most popular Chief of Army Staff. Here he shows the reason for his popularity which is hinged on the development of his leadership skills.
