A Story I Have Never Told Anybody—–Buratai

A story unknown to people
OpenLife Nigeria has learned that Lieutenant General Buratai, immediate Past Chief of Army Staff has gone through the valley of shadow of death from childhood to his days in the Army and miraculously escaped death through the grace of God.
Interestingly, as things unveil, Buratai confirms that there are many things that would continue to come to public knowledge about him. A story will emerge. Stories will emerge.
General Buratai who hails from Biu Local Government Area in the Southern part of Borno State and a Babur by tribe grew up within Borno, now comprising Borno and Yobe States at his early stage of life.
During the period, he encountered lots of people who were to later shape his life in the fulfillment of his destiny.
A story is told that among the people that have shaped his life was a then Lieutenant Colonel Muhammadu Buhari who was posted to the North Eastern State as Military Governor between August 1975 and March 1976 at the age of 34.
Buhari, who later attained the rank of Major General and became military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985 came across young Tukur who was then 16 years old during an evening sport activities at Borno Teachers’ College.
“One day, a ball flew off the volley ball court and Tukur went to retrieve it. On his way back, he threw it with full force and it hit a youth called Samuel Bulus. Buhari who came to the school to watch the students’ sport activities saw the way Tukur threw the ball and how it hit Samuel. He called Tukur and said something that is now believe to be prophecy. He said “You should join the Army because of your toughness and strength. Maganin ka soja yaro,” Lieutenant Colonel Buhari was quoted to have said.
The then young Tukur was to later join the Army and rose through the ranks to be appointed as Nigerian Chief of Army Staff by the same man who became a democratically elected Nigeria President and who indeed, encouraged Buratai to be enlisted into the Army.

Besides Buhari’s encouragement, there is a story told by Mr. John Atanda, a Yoruba by tribe and devout Christian who currently resides in Yobe as a High School teacher and school administrator.
In an encounter in Abuja recently, John Atanda regaled OpenLife about what he knows about Tukur Buratai and revealed how an India teacher prophesized Tukur Buratai’s greatness when they were both students at Teachers College, Potiskum, Yobe State in the 70s.
Said Atanda, “Tukur was my classmate at Teachers’ College, Potiskum, Yobe State. I dare say that Tukur was not just a classmate but a friend and brother. Tukur is detribalized. He is generous, calm, articulate, a bit reserved, smiles occasionally and of course methodical.
“He was made the House Captain of Kaigama House at Teachers’ College, Potiskum because of his fairness and objectivity on issues. He exhibited leadership traits who would treat our junior students like his younger brothers.
“I have always known that Tukur would be great in life. There was a prophetic comment from one of our teachers, Mr. P.C Sylvester about Tukur. Mr. Sylvester was an expatriate teacher from India, a Hindu. He used to have tie a red scarf on his hand. He would touch it before commencing teaching. Of all of us at the Teachers’ College, Mr. Sylvester took special interest in one person and that Tukur was the person.
“I remember one day Mr. Sylvester said “Tukur, you are going to be a great man and a leader in your country. While he made this remark, he was very serious as a prophet.
“Today, I do not know where Mr. Sylvester is. But all of us in the class at Teachers’ College knew about this prophetic declaration on Tukur. I do not know whether Tukur believed him then but as of today, Tukur would have realized that Mr. Sylvester was right going by the positions he has attained in Nigeria,” Atanda revealed to OpenLife.
However, when confronted with this revelation, General Tukur Buratai simply said “Many things have happened in my life. I can only be grateful to God. It is God that has sustained me to where I have been and I pray He will continue to sustain in where I would be in the months and years ahead. What Atanda said is what I have not really told anybody,” Buratai who has been nominated as Ambassador by President Buhari and confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador Designate, stated a story of his life.