General Buratai, immediate past Chief of Army Staff, is indisputably a role model in probity and diligence as presented in this piece made available to OpenLife Nigeria by Dr. Abubakar
“I am compelled to write this short piece because of the lies some few miscreants are peddling around to tarnish the hard-earned name and reputation of General TY Buratai, the former Chief of Army Staff. Of particular interest to this liars and hate mongers is the modest modern industrial farm he had set up along Keffi road, near a locality known as “Zimbabwe.” This group of people say that General Buratai set up a lucrative farm with stolen money from the government. This is far from the truth; it is a total fallacy. I worry that as usual, some gullible Nigerians might end up believing this misinformation that is calculated to smear the name of General Buratai( rtd) as the gospel truth.
As I set the record straight, I want to make it categorically clear that the former COAS is a man of integrity, probity and accountability. His passion for fiscal discipline, as well as due diligence in the release and management of resources, is second to none in the history of the Nigerian Army.
Under his watch as COAS, every kobo was accounted for because all transactions were made through electronic payments. After that, it goes through checks and approvals from the appropriate unit heads.
Now, to this issue of the private farm owned by General Buratai which some people with sinister motives want to use to stain the character of the former COAS. It is important to understand that for the fact that the farm was set up in Nigeria alone is a good thing because it has brought development and create jobs. Visit the farm and you will see for yourself.
The farm is officially known as Tukur and Tukur Farms and it is a limited liability company. The first name of General Buratai is Tukur; a name given to him in honour of the district head of Gunda. I was reliably informed that General Buratai bought the farmland as far back as 1996. This was when he served as Administrative Officer in the Villa during the reign of the late General Sani Abacha. He is a natural-born farmer who loves planting of crops and rearing of animals. General Tukur bought the large expanse of farmland at a very cheap price because as of then the place was a complete bush. There were no people or development near it. But anyone who has a longterm plan for investment will not hesitate to buy it because its value will appreciate and development will eventually come closer.
The above informs the reason why General Buratai built his residence in Mararaba which is a township located in Nassarawa State. The late Sarkin Hausawa ( Alhaji Mohammed Jajere) of Mararaba is known to me and this information is known in his palace. General Buratai committed almost all his earnings into his private residence, mosque and farm. He wants his life to revolve around these three places. I can vividly remember that there is also a free water distribution channel at the Mararaba residence for the people of the neighbourhood. He rose to the rank of major general and Commander MNJTF while still occupying the Mararaba residence and tending to his farm. The whole growth about the farm has been a gradual process that has taken nearly two decades to bring it to its present stage.
It was a good plan and people like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did the same. Take a loan from the bank and plow it into their farms where they rear animals and plant crops. It’s not just a lucrative business but also a better way to enjoy one’s retirement.
Tukur and Tukur Farms is today a highly efficient company that produces thousands of crates of eggs daily, good cows that produce milk for yoghurt, economic snakes and the rest. For those who don’t know, snake venom is the best botox for plastic surgery nowadays. Quick, almost painless, and increasingly affordable, it’s now the go-to procedure for fighting the signs of ageing. While effective, it’s certainly not something everyone is on board with. By implication, it means it is a highly profitable business.
General Buratai (rtd) said it that he would have been retired by Chief Obasanjo in 1999 but God ruled otherwise and used the then COAS, late General Victor Malu to prevent it. Although President Muhammadu Buhari was at PTF when Buratai served as Admin Officer at the Villa, their paths never crossed. In any case, Buratai and President Buhari first encountered each other in 1975. At that time President Buhari was the Military Governor of Borno State while Buratai was a JSS 1 student at Teacher’s College Maiduguri. President Buhari was fond of visiting the school in the evening to watch the boys participating in their various sports activities. It was there that they met each other.
On another note, Buratai didn’t lobby to be made COAS by this government. He was in faraway Ndjamena as Commander MNJTF when President Buhari appointed him as the 20th COAS. He served this country, gallantly and diligently for 66 months as COAS and then turned in his resignation letter to the President. Many eminent Nigerians including the new COAS testified that Buratai served this country meritoriously as COAS. He is now a retired military officer but as God will have it, he is now an Ambassador-Designate.
This is a man raised by God. No human is qualified to pull him down or tarnish his image and reputation. His secret is his life principles which comprise diligence, integrity, loyalty, courage, empathy and faith in the will and plan of God.”
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