Tinubu to grace book presentation on military reforms

President Bola Tinubu has been billed to attend the launch of a new book that examines military leadership, institutional reform and the transformation of the Nigerian Army during the tenure of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (retd.).

The public presentation will be held in Abuja on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

According to a release signed by the chairman of the planning committee, Dr Ahmad Manzo, and the Chief Executive Officer of Clarivox Creative Limited, Mr Segun Adeyemi, the President will be the special guest of honour at the public presentation of the book, titled ‘Military Transformational Leadership in Action: The Buratai Era’, authored by Dr Mohammed Abubakar.

The event is organised by the Buratai Legacy Presentation Committee, with Sprezzatura Publishing Limited, in collaboration with Clarivox Creative Limited.

The organisers of the event noted that the publication sought to contribute to the wider conversation about military leadership and institutional development at a time when Nigeria and other African countries continue to confront evolving security threats and questions over how their armed forces should adapt to increasingly complex operating environments.

According to the author, the book goes beyond documenting the tenure of an individual military commander and instead considers the broader relationship between leadership, institutional transformation and national security.

“The central purpose of this book is to examine leadership in action — how decisions, reforms and institutional responses were shaped by the realities confronting the Nigerian Army during a particularly demanding period in the country’s security history.

“While the Buratai era provides the principal case study, the wider questions raised by the book are relevant beyond one individual or institution. How do military organisations respond to rapidly changing threats? What role does leadership play in institutional adaptation? And what lessons can policymakers and security professionals draw from that experience? These are some of the questions the book seeks to interrogate,” Abubakar said.

The author said the publication is intended to provide material for military professionals, policymakers, researchers, students of strategic and security studies, and readers interested in understanding the relationship between leadership and institutional change.

Abubakar explained that at the centre of the publication is the tenure of Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and whose period in command coincided with significant security challenges, particularly the campaign against insurgency and terrorism in the North-East.

“The book considers that period through the framework of transformational military leadership, examining the interaction between command, institutional development and operational demands,” he added.

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Abubakar noted that the book should ultimately be read as an attempt to preserve institutional experience while creating room for critical reflection.

“Security institutions evolve partly by examining their own experiences — what worked, what did not, what changed and what lessons should endure. I hope that this book encourages serious discussion about military leadership, institutional memory and the future development of Nigeria’s security architecture,” he said.

Commenting on the publication, the Chief Executive Officer of Clarivox Creative Limited, Mr Segun Adeyemi, stated that the value of documenting major periods in Nigeria’s institutional history extends beyond the personalities involved.

“Serious documentation provides a basis for interrogation, learning and informed debate. A publication of this nature allows military professionals, researchers, policymakers and the wider public to examine an important period in Nigeria’s security history and consider the lessons it may hold for the future,” Adeyemi said.

Former chairman of FirstBank, Umaru Mutallab, will serve as chairman of the occasion.

The Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), is scheduled to present the book, while the Chairman of Max Air, Dahiru Mangal, is the co-chief launcher.

Maj Gen I. D. Penap (retd.) will review the book.

All Service Chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, are expected to attend the event as special guests.

Traditional rulers expected at the presentation include the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Hameed Makama; King Sir Dr Lenu Tsaro Igbara, Amb. P, Gbene Teekoo IX, Paramount Ruler of Nortem-Bori Communities, Ogoni; and the G-12 South-West Obas.

Former Commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, Lt Gen Domenico Giani (retd.), is listed as a Royal Diplomatic Guest, while Sheikh Al-Moustapha Kouyateh, President of the African Peoples Movement Corps, will attend as a special guest.