Tinubu Commends Leadership Philosophy of Army Chief, Says Nigerian Army Moving Away from Military Conservatism

.Defence minister assures ECOMOG veterans contributions to peacekeeping in Africa to be documented, preserved

Linus Aleke in Abuja and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

President Bola Tinubu has applauded the leadership philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, describing it as the foundation of a new Nigerian Army focused on professionalism, adaptability, combat readiness and resilience.

Tinubu stated that the four pillars underpinning Shaibu’s command philosophy also guided the Army’s approach to training, equipment, combat operations and leadership.

Also, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to documenting and preserving the legacy and sacrifices of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in maintaining peace and security in West Africa.

Also, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, yesterday assured veterans of the Armed Forces of sustained welfare initiatives aimed at making their lives more comfortable after service, while calling for their greater participation in the national security architecture.

The President described the doctrine as a significant departure from military conservatism, noting that the Army had shifted from static defence towards more mobile offensive operations under Shaibu’s leadership.

Tinubu stated this in the foreword to a book titled, ‘The Shaibu Doctrine: Mission Command and the Remaking of Nigeria’s Army at War’, co-authored by Dr. Muhammed Sani Abubakar and Associate Professor Sunday Adejoh of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The President said the doctrine reflected the Armed Forces’ responsibility to secure Nigeria and create an environment in which democracy and development could thrive.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I have charged our Armed Forces with one mission: to secure Nigeria so that democracy and development can thrive,” he said.

He added that the ongoing reforms encompassed the adoption of technology, the indigenisation of military tools, improved personnel welfare and a renewed emphasis on military ethics.

“These were not abstract reforms. They were choices made in the heat of battle, with lives on the line and the nation watching,” the President said.

The book examines Shaibu’s leadership philosophy, particularly the role of Mission Command, troop welfare and decentralised decision-making in strengthening the Army’s operational effectiveness.

Speaking about the motivation behind the publication, co-author Muhammed Sani Abubakar said his professional interactions with Shaibu began when the latter served as a brigade commander in Bama and continued during his tenure as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.

He said these experiences gave him insights into Shaibu’s approach to managing personnel and military resources while sustaining troop morale in demanding operational environments.

Abubakar said he and Adejoh decided to document the philosophy systematically following Shaibu’s appointment as COAS, believing it offered lessons relevant to the Army’s evolving operational challenges.

He explained that the philosophy was built around five pillars captured by the acronym PROSE: Professional Excellence, Robust Administration, Operational Readiness, Strategic Cooperation and Exemplary Leadership.

At its core, he said, was a soldier-first culture that prioritised personnel welfare, morale, training, dignity and empowerment as the foundations of combat effectiveness.

Abubakar described Mission Command as a leadership approach based on trust, initiative and the empowerment of subordinate commanders to make decisions within their respective areas of responsibility.

Under this approach, he explained, senior commanders set operational objectives while allowing subordinate commanders to determine the best ways to achieve them, taking prevailing battlefield conditions into account.

He said the central message was that effective leadership under challenging conditions required commanders to trust their subordinates, invest in personnel, align administration with operations, promote inter-agency cooperation and lead by example.

The book is scheduled to be presented on 24 November 2026 at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence gave the assurance when he received a delegation of ECOMOG veterans, led by Major General Ohifeme Ejimai (rtd), at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement by the Minister of Defence’s Special Adviser on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the delegation visited the minister to brief him on the group’s activities and ongoing initiatives.

Speaking during the visit, General Musa acknowledged the significant human and financial resources Nigeria committed to ECOMOG, emphasising that personnel who paid the supreme price, particularly during peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone, would never be forgotten.

He assured the delegation that ongoing efforts to document the remaining records, casualties and historical assets would be completed to ensure their proper preservation for posterity.

Earlier in his remarks, Major General Ejimai (rtd) provided an update on the status of surviving Nigerian ECOMOG veterans, noting their readiness to continue contributing to national development and security.

He urged the ministry to address existing gaps in documentation and consider establishing a dedicated remembrance day to honour the hundreds of Nigerian troops who lost their lives in the pursuit of peace and stability in West Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was a regional peacekeeping and peace enforcement force established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1990.

Driven largely by Nigerian leadership and troops, ECOMOG played a decisive role in restoring constitutional order, protecting civilian populations and stabilising West Africa during complex regional crises.

The CDS gave the assurance during his interactive session with veterans from the South-west region at Headquarters, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, as part of his ongoing nationwide engagement with veterans.

General Oluyede while addressing the veterans, appreciated them for their years of sacrifice in keeping the nation united and peaceful, saying “Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten by the nation.”

He noted that the federal government remains committed to improving the welfare of veterans in appreciation of their sacrifices, citing the recent increment in salaries of serving personnel and the consequential adjustment of veterans’ pensions as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s gratitude to the Armed Forces for their service to the nation.

He added that issues arising from the consequential adjustment of pensions are being addressed.

The CDS further outlined several initiatives being pursued by the Defence Headquarters to improve the welfare of both serving personnel and veterans which include his determination to dedicate at least one hospital in each geopolitical zone specifically to cater for the medical needs of veterans, in addition to existing healthcare arrangements.

He informed the veterans that data collation is ongoing and necessary processes are at advanced stages towards actualisation.

The CDS also disclosed ongoing efforts to establish a low-interest loan scheme for veterans to enable them engage in productive ventures and businesses after service.

He explained the recently launched Defence Headquarters Online Shop in collaboration with Konga, noting that efforts are ongoing to expand the scheme to bring more major businesses on board to offer discounted goods and services to personnel and veterans.

He called on veterans to continue to contribute their quota to peace and security in their respective communities and to sustain prayers for serving personnel as they strive to keep the nation peaceful and secure.

During the interactive session, veterans raised pressing concerns and sought clarifications on issues affecting them, which were promptly addressed by the CDS.

On hand to provide further clarifications were the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Admiral Gideon Kachim; the Commandant, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Air Vice Marshal NI Iloh; and the Chairman, Military Pensions Board, Major General JE Osifoh.

Issues bordering on veterans’ entitlements, welfare programmes and other administrative matters were extensively discussed.

The President of the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers’ Association (RANAO), Major General HA Salihu (rtd), in his remarks, thanked the CDS for the engagement, urging veterans to continue to embrace dialogue in resolving issues of concern.