‘Change Must Begin Within’: Dr. MS Abubakar Mines Buratai’s Life for Youth Leadership Lessons
By Matthew Eloyi
Dr. MS Abubakar, a teacher, mentor and author whose work straddles the classroom and the page, has a clear, urgent message for young Nigerians: enduring success rests on timeless principles, not shortcuts. His latest book, “Life Principles for Greatness From the Life of Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd): Lessons for Today’s Youth,” distills that message into 122 brisk pages, using the arc of the former Chief of Army Staff’s life to illustrate values he says today’s youths can adopt immediately.
Although Abubakar is already known for youth-centered literature (he earlier authored “Legend of Buratai Vol. 1”, a compelling and imaginative tale that exemplifies his exceptional ability to engage and inspire young minds, sparking their curiosity and creativity); the new work is more than a tribute. It is, in his telling, a response to a widening “crisis of values,” and an effort to anchor the national conversation about leadership where he believes it must start: with personal responsibility. “Most people think change will come from without… but things don’t work that way. This book can awaken the average Nigerian youth to their responsibilities as citizens,” he says in an exclusive interview with OurNigeria News.
A classroom assignment that became a national project
The book’s genesis is as academic as it is civic. A doctoral candidate at the Abuja Leadership Centre of the University of Abuja, Abubakar was required by policy to convene a leadership clinic in his state of origin before graduating. He chose Adamawa and staged the clinic at Concordia College, drawing about 150 students from 15 schools, with institutional support from the Nigerian Army Education Corps under Major General Bello Tsoho, as well as the Adamawa State Board of Secondary Education and the Teaching Service Board. The sessions covered leadership principles, the core values of citizenship, civic habits in a democracy, religious tolerance, and how to face rejection and failure. The impact, he recalls, was immediate, and it set the stage for the book.
Encouraged by his supervisor to anchor the eventual manuscript to a figure young Nigerians already recognise, Abubakar settled on Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd). The rationale, he says, was straightforward: Buratai’s journey from a village bearing his name to becoming Nigeria’s longest-serving Chief of Army Staff offered a relatable, merit-driven template. “There is no doubt that General Buratai is today regarded as a reputable leader and elder statesman,” Abubakar argues, adding that the general’s leadership in the Buhari administration’s counterinsurgency operations further cemented that profile.
Writing against the “get-rich-quick” tide
Abubakar is blunt about the cultural headwinds he is writing against. He laments what he calls a “get-rich-quick syndrome,” where teenagers and twenty-somethings chase luxury gadgets, flashy cars and hotel lifestyles without the patience or process that real achievement demands. “Life is built on timeless principles of which diligence and excellence are cardinal,” he insists. “Where there is shabbiness and mediocrity, there cannot be diligence… and where you don’t see diligence, you can never see excellence.” The book, he says, is meant to pull attention back to those fundamentals.
Why a soldier’s life belongs in civilian classrooms
To those who question whether a military figure is the right model for civilian life, Abubakar offers a ready rejoinder: the seven core army values which include Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honour, Integrity and Personal Courage, are the very qualities Nigeria’s civic culture requires. “Life itself is like a battlefield,” he says, arguing that cadet training is in essence leadership training steeped in patriotism, merit, tolerance, and order. In a country where institutions often struggle, Abubakar contends, the military still presents an ethos worth studying: “By and large, I think the military institution and military leaders will always be good role models to use to inspire our youths.”
His conviction is rooted in his own reading life. The first book that transformed him, he recalls, was Gen. Colin Powell’s memoir My American Journey and its “13 Rules,” a compact catechism for decision-making and grit. That influence threads through Abubakar’s method: condense big, enduring ideas into accessible rules young readers can remember and use.
Short by design, long on fundamentals
At 122 pages, the book is intentionally compact. “Young people don’t have the time and luxury to read voluminous books,” Abubakar says; their days are already crowded with lecture notes and academic texts. Guided by Peter Northouse’s scholarship on leadership, he kept his focus on fundamentals and stripped out distractions; no partisan politics, no ethno‑religious debates, no gender polemics. The goal is utility over noise, a handbook rather than a doorstop.
Competing with the allure of shortcuts
Can a story about steady effort and service really compete with the dopamine rush of quick money? Abubakar thinks so, precisely because Buratai’s trajectory is rooted in visible milestones. From a humble start to being named Cadet Sergeant Major at the Nigerian Defence Academy, the general’s rise, he argues, was powered by courage, faith, teamwork, perseverance and loyalty; “no shortcut in his life.” The narrative, in other words, offers proof-of-concept: consistent capacity-building plus the right company over time yields responsibility and results.
The leadership trait that impressed the author most
Asked which quality of Buratai most animated his writing, Abubakar points to talent-spotting and team-building: the general’s knack for identifying capable officers, giving them clear tasks and forging effective units. That, he suggests, is a portable lesson for any domain: leaders multiply their impact by empowering the right people.
On charges of bias: “This is not hero worship”
Abubakar bristles at the suggestion that his book is hagiography. Buratai, he notes, did not even know about the project until ThisDay ran a review of it by Sir Dr. Ak Etta Peters. The impulse was personal and pedagogical: to challenge and inspire his two sons—“the older one is underperforming,” he admits—with a concrete example of principle-driven success. Abubakar concedes that every great leader has weaknesses, but argues that Buratai’s record as COAS remains unmatched five years after his retirement, placing him in the same broad conversation as figures like TY Danjuma, Colin Powell and Omar Bradley. Looking ahead, he believes the country’s next cohort of national figures born in the 1960s will include names like Nasir El‑Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Major Hamza Al‑Mustapha, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu and, of course, Buratai.
Beyond the book: building habits and businesses
The project does not end at the page. “I am, first and foremost, an entrepreneur,” Abubakar says, explaining that he mentors young people in starting and managing MSMEs, another arena where the book’s principles meet practice. It is the same through‑line from his leadership clinics: teach values, model discipline, and then help the next generation apply both to real ventures.
A civic nudge for a fraught moment
Ultimately, Abubakar wants the book to function as a civic nudge in a weary time. Nigeria’s socio‑political challenges may shift, he allows, but the habits that produce trustworthy leadership do not. Ten years from now, he hopes a reader will still pick up Life Principles for Greatness and feel three things: permission to dream big, reason to hope, and a plan to take charge of one’s lifestyle. “Change must begin from youth as individuals,” he says, and if the culture won’t supply heroes on demand, the classroom and the barracks can still supply the habits heroes are made of.
Read Also: Statesmanship in Turbulent Times: Lessons from MS Abubakar’s Book on Buratai
Read the full text of the interview with Dr Abubakar below:
OurNigeria News: Your book, “Life Principles for Greatness From the Life of Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai Rtd: Lessons For Today’s Youth”, is rooted in the life and principles of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai. What was the defining moment that convinced you his story was the best vehicle to communicate values to Nigerian youths?
Dr Abubakar: Let me begin by taking you to the genesis. I am actually a doctoral candidate at the Abuja Leadership Centre of the University of Abuja, where I am studying or researching on military studies. The immediate past Director of the Centre and the VC came up with a policy that all doctoral candidates must conduct a leadership clinic in their respective state of origin before they can graduate, and they were serious about it. I can vividly remember that the VC addressed us all at a dinner at the NAF Conference Hall, Kado, and reiterated this point. So, I organized a leadership clinic for Adamawa state and held it at Concordia College; fifteen different schools attended. The class was for 150 students or thereabout. The Nigerian Army Education Corp supported through Major General Bello Tsoho, the Corp Commander. Same with the Adamawa State Board of Secondary Education as well as the Teaching Service Board. The event made a good impact on the participants because of the calibre of resource persons who spoke or facilitated the event. We taught the students the principles of leadership, core values of a good citizen, life principles to succeed in life, how to handle rejection and failure, elements of democracy and what is expected of a democrat, religious tolerance and so and so forth. My supervisor was impressed with me, and when he heard that I wanted to produce a book from the clinic, he volunteered to assist me. He later suggested to me that I should align the book with an individual that the average Nigerian can relate with; someone the youths can respect as a leader that they want to emulate. That was how Lt. General Buratai came into the picture. There is no doubt that General Buratai is today regarded as a reputable leader and elder statesman in Nigeria. His life journey from humble beginnings in Buratai village to becoming Nigeria’s longest Chief of Army Staff and leader of the Buhari Administration COIN operation is remarkable. I believe that the principles outlined in the book based on the life of General Buratai will address the leadership deficit we have in Nigeria, which I believe is the major crisis bedeviling Nigeria.
OurNigeria News: You’ve described the book as a response to the crisis of values among Nigerian youths. What particular trends or experiences pushed you to make this intervention through literature?
Dr Abubakar: Hmm! The get-rich-quick syndrome is a major issue of concern to me. Young Nigerians at the age of just say 18 or at most 24 want to own expensive mobile phones, flashy SUVs and lodge in expensive hotels; they no longer believe in sow before you reap or pain before gain. They are all taking short cuts to success, thus the Yahoo Yahoo pandemonium. There is also the issue of shabbiness and mediocrity because of a general disdain for patience, discipline, and perseverance. Where there is shabbiness and mediocrity, there cannot be diligence, and where you don’t see diligence, you can never see excellence, and how does one succeed in life without excellence? It is not about luck or prayer or coming from a wealthy family, life is built on timeless principles of which diligence and excellence are cardinal. The youths of today don’t believe in that.
OurNigeria News: Some critics might argue that military figures are not always the best models for civilian life. How do you respond to concerns that a soldier’s discipline may not easily translate into everyday civilian struggles?
Dr Abubakar: I will disagree with anyone who says that military figures are not always the best models for civilian life. The soldier’s life is a life built on the seven core Army values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honour, Integrity, and Personal Courage. These are all values that we teach students right from primary school in social studies’ class, and nowadays Civics Education. Life itself is like a battlefield, and we are constantly engaged in all kinds of war. The first book I read that transformed me as a person is General Collin Powell’s “My American Journey,” where I got fascinated by his 13 Rules or life principles. The life and training of the average cadet is all about leadership, and it is not just about how to lead troops but how to lead troops to make family and country with honour to make one’s country proud. As a matter of fact, I must say that the only institution that one can still look and be proud of in Nigeria of today is only the military. Just go to any military barrack or military institution, and you will see the patriotism, the national unity, the religious tolerance, the equity, the emphasis on merit, the discipline and orderliness, you will be impressed. That does not mean that there are no challenges here and there, but by and large, I think the military institution and military leaders will always be good role models to use to inspire our youths.
OurNigeria News: At 122 pages, the book is relatively short and simple. Was that intentional to appeal more to young readers, and how did you decide what to include and what to leave out?
Dr Abubakar: It was deliberate; if it is too long, the intended target audience for the book might not like to read it. Young people don’t have the time and luxury to read voluminous book because they have lecture notes and academic textbooks to read. As I have mentioned earlier, what the Abuja Leadership Centre is majorly concerned about is leadership, and during the course of study at the centre, I realized that leadership has timeless principles. One book that has made a great impact on my study of leadership is Peter Northouse’s “Leadership”; it guided me on how to focus on the fundamentals of leadership and what to include in the book. Issues like partisan politics, ethno-religious biases of whatever nature, and gender disparity were left out of the book.
OurNigeria News: Given Nigeria’s current socio-political challenges, what role do you see this book playing—not just as literature, but as part of a larger civic conversation?
Dr Abubakar: I believe that this book can challenge the average Nigerian youth to look inwards and reflect and come to the conclusion that change must begin from them as individuals. At the moment, most people think, change will come from without; everyone is waiting for a messiah, but things don’t work that way. This book can awaken the average Nigerian youth to their responsibilities as citizens.
OurNigeria News: Many young Nigerians today are drawn to material success and shortcuts. How do you think Buratai’s example, as captured in your book, can realistically compete with these powerful influences?
Dr Abubakar: Good question; anyone who read the book will see how Buratai started from a humble background and rose through the ranks through hard work, perseverance, cosnsitensy, diligence, and excellence. At one time in his life, he was appointed Cadet Sergeant Major in the Nigerian Defence Academy. The life of Buratai is simply a life of courage, hard work, absolute faith in God, teamwork, perseverance, and loyalty. There is no shortcut in his life. They will see a constant desire for capacity development and association with quality people.
OurNigeria News: What aspect of General Buratai’s life or career did you personally find most inspiring while researching and writing this book?
Dr Abubakar: I must say his ability to identify capable hands in the Army and give them tasks, and build effective teams.
OurNigeria News: Some critics might see this work as overly favourable to Buratai, given his public profile. How do you respond to concerns about bias or hero worship?
Dr Abubakar: I beg to disagree on this; this book has nothing to do about hero worship. General Buratai didn’t even know that I was writing the book. He only got to know about it after Thisday published the book review done by Sir Dr. Ak Etta Peters. I wrote the book to challenge and inspire my two sons, of which the older one is underperforming. Personally, I see General Buratai as a true leader who can inspires men to achieve set objectives any day at any time. His leadership record as COAS of the Nigeria Army is yet to be surpassed by any military leader five years after he has left the Army. He has his shortcomings and weakness just like any other great leader but it will not be an overstatement to say that General Buratai can be equated with leaders like General TY Danjuma Rtd, General Collin Powel, General Omar Bradley and a host of others. Now that those leaders born in the late 1930s and early 1940s are gradually exiting the scene, the onus will in the shortest possible time fall on leaders born in the 1960s and people like Nasir elRufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, and of course General Buratai will fill the gap.
OurNigeria News: Beyond publishing this book, are there other practical ways you are engaging young people, such as mentorship programmes, workshops, or leadership forums, to reinforce these principles?
Dr Abubakar: Of course, there are many other ways that I am using to mentor young people. I am, first and foremost, an entrepreneur, so I try to mentor young people on how to start and manage MSMEs
OurNigeria News: Finally, what do you hope readers, especially the youth, will take away from this book ten years from now, when the political and social climate may have shifted?
Dr Abubakar: It is my belief that this book will make the reader dream big, have hope, and take charge of his or her lifestyle.