Professor Dahida Philip, from the Department of Public Administration at the University of Abuja, has commended the leadership of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.), for what he described as transformative measures introduced during Buratai’s tenure to address insecurity in Nigeria.
Dahida, a former Director of the Abuja Leadership Centre—a TETFund Centre of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership—stressed that Buratai understood that tackling insecurity required more than just military operations. He highlighted the importance of institutional development and collaboration with communities and traditional authorities.
These remarks were made on Wednesday in Abuja during the public presentation of the book, “Military Transformational Leadership in Action: The Buratai Era”.
As one of the panelists at the event, Dahida focused his discussion on good governance, inclusivity, youth employment, and the crucial roles that religious leaders, traditional rulers, and the political class must play without favoritism.
He also addressed the challenges of poverty, the need for alleviation, the management of out-of-school children, and the enrollment of youth in schools as essential measures for ending insecurity in Nigeria.
According to him, during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff, Buratai initiated several measures aimed at strengthening the Nigerian Army’s response to the country’s security challenges.
He noted that one of the significant aspects of Buratai’s leadership was the effort to establish and strengthen institutions capable of addressing the complex challenges associated with insecurity.
Dahida also emphasized the importance of community engagement during this period, highlighting the involvement of community leaders, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders in efforts to tackle insecurity.
He argued that the country’s security challenges could not be resolved solely through military efforts, pointing out that insecurity has become a multifaceted national issue that requires collective responsibility.
“The issue of insecurity in this country goes beyond the military. It is a holistic matter, and all of us must get involved,” he stated.
The university professor maintained that Nigerians need to unite to develop sustainable solutions to the security challenges facing the country.
He suggested that a collaborative approach involving government institutions, security agencies, traditional bodies, community leaders, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens would help address the root causes of insecurity.
“If we can all come together at a round table and address this issue of insecurity, it will become a thing of the past,” he added.
Dahida praised the organizers of the book presentation, describing the initiative as timely and important, especially considering the need to document and analyze leadership experiences in Nigeria’s security sector.
He expressed optimism that the book would provide valuable insights into the leadership approaches and experiences of the Buratai era for Nigerians, researchers, policymakers, security professionals, and students.
He encouraged Nigerians to study the lessons in the book and apply them to contemporary national challenges.
Beyond Buratai’s professional achievements, the professor commended what he called the former Army chief’s exemplary lifestyle and urged Nigerians to learn from his personal values and leadership approach.
He emphasized that leadership should not be judged solely by positions held but also by the values, discipline, responsibility, and contributions demonstrated by leaders while serving the nation.
The event attracted prominent figures from various sectors, including political, military, traditional, and business realms. Among those present were representatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Dr. Umar Abdul Mutallab, founder of Jaiz Bank, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, the Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa, the Minister of Defence, and various politicians and traditional rulers.
The gathering served as a platform for reflection on military leadership, national security, and the broader responsibilities of Nigerian institutions and citizens in confronting insecurity.
The presentation of “Military Transformational Leadership in Action: The Buratai Era” also allowed attendees to examine the experiences, policies, and leadership strategies from Buratai’s tenure as Chief of Army Staff and their relevance to Nigeria’s ongoing quest for sustainable security solutions.
Contributors and participants emphasized the importance of leadership, institutional capacity, community participation, and cooperation among stakeholders to strengthen national security.
The event reinforced the view that combating insecurity requires a coordinated national effort involving not only security agencies but also political leaders, traditional institutions, communities, academics, and other relevant stakeholders.