Featured

Like Buratai Like Napoleon Bonaparte

Published

5 years ago

June 1, 2020

By Mike Msuaan

History is replete with accounts of wars right from the divinely sanctioned wars fought by the Israelites and their enemies to conquests carried out by world powers like the Ottoman Turks, the Christian Crusaders, the Romans and lots more. The greed for wealth and power inherent in man has always fuelled wars both for territorial expansion and the exploitation of resources in captured lands and territories. However, victory in any war is a product of the commander’s mastery of the art of war without which a humiliating defeat awaits him and his troops.

Warfare like every human endeavour has evolved progressively in line with the technology at that time. From the discovery of iron to the industrial and the technological era, wars have shifted from the use of arrows and spears and horses to the use of guns and heavy artillery to the use of bomber jets and automatic gun power to the use of robots, drones and bombs of different capacities and reach. Although so much technology has been used in warfare, nothing meaningful can be achieved if the soldiers in the battle front are ill-trained and in the hands of an inefficient commander.

Prominent war veterans like Napoleon Bonaparte who led the French in different outings and won victories accordingly to the infamous Adolf Hitler to the Chinese war veteran Sun Tzu to all the commanders of the holy wars and crusades to the veterans of the First and Second World War and modern wars in recent times, all had in mind the same objective of victory. However, what distinguished them either in the face of victory or defeat is their style of leadership as well as tactical and strategic skills in warfare.

One such professional and gentlemanly commander in the Nigerian army is the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a fine and courageous officer whose training both in Nigeria and elsewhere has made him the best among his peers. Like every good commander who leads from the front, Buratai has shown dexterity only comparable to legends like Napoleon Bonaparte in the fight against insurgents and terrorists elements in Nigeria especially in the North East.

As an illustrious son of the Borno empire, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he takes over from his forbearers who were themselves great warriors albeit their lack of sophistication as is been demonstrated by their son in modern day Nigeria. His gallantry is significant especially as the rogue elements terrorizing the country have chosen his state of origin to display their cowardice and show of shame. Giving them a pound of their flesh is therefore this gentleman’s sole preoccupation and true to his words, the terrorists are scrambling to surrender and give up their evil and barbaric ways.

Nigeria has been taunted as a home of generals who have not seen the battle field except for the simulations they watch in the comforts of their training rooms, but this is not the case with TY Buratai. Deciding to prove average Nigerians that he is different has been a great blessing to Nigeria as a country who, for more than 10 years has been embarrassed and humiliated ill trained terrorist who have evaded successive commanders especially those who commandeered the war from the comforts of their offices in Abuja.

He has a carefully crafted war strategy and way of approaching which has served to change the perception of Nigerian troops in the eyes of their neighbours from people known with humiliating defeats to a force to reckon with. As a onetime commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTFH), he is aware of the challenges of the fight against terror and has done everything to bring that experience to bear on his current job with outstanding successes. Needless to say that, the dramatic change in the dynamics of the fight against terror is made possible thanks to the skilfulness and gallantry of TY Buratai.

Immediately after his appointed, he jetted out to the North East and began his historic assignment to Nigeria. It was in the North East that he unveiled the mission and vision for the Nigerian Army under his watch and also changed the name of Operation Zaman Lafiya to Operation Lafiya Dole as well as the establishment of other overt and covert operations he established to facilitate the war against terror. He could have sat in Abuja, enjoying all the good things his highly exalted office can provide leaving his subordinates to do the fighting since he has put the necessary strategies in place but he has decided to brave it himself. That’s how a good commander should go.

The Nigerian Army under the watch of Buratai has done much more than fighting and killing. This is because insurgency as is done in the North East of Nigeria a delicate activity which is done among civilian populations. Approach it from a soldiers point of view only did not yield the desired results so diplomacy and human feelings were introduced to win trust of the people and cushion the effects of terror on the affected people.

Relocating to the North East has shown that while others are running away, the army chief has taken upon himself the task of making sure the North East is cleared of all renegades whose stock in trade is to cause havoc and deny the region of quality development.

It is worthy of note that the army chief has not usurped the powers of the operational commanders but has undertaken to periodically visit them and encourage them as they administer their combat units to ensure professionalism at all time. This has helped in no small measure in ensuring smooth and coordinated operations and hence the victory.

As a seasoned scholar in military warfare, Buratai has not disappointed his alumni’s from where the history and art of war has been so generously bequeathed on him. As a historian, he has read and understood war and the best way to fight it both as it was in the ancient era and in modern warfare which is multifaceted and filled with propaganda.

In modern warfare, fighting the enemy alone is not enough as there are many online bullies and other virtual entities that profit over the war efforts and can do anything to discredit ones efforts so as to prolong human misery for selfish gains. This is made worse in the era of social media where mischief makers turn themselves into half-baked journalists with the sole intent to misinform and harm all positive efforts in bringing normalcy. This strategy, although deployed from all angles has not deterred the army chief from doing his job with glaring results for all to see.

Buratai has written his name in history as the Napoleon of the Nigerian fight against insurgents as the first courageous army chief to sacrifice his comfort for the victory of his dear country. He has chosen to use his training to improve the professional conduct of Nigeria troops and his must be kind to him.

Msuaan, a public affairs commentator writes from Kaduna.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

Share on Facebook