Tinubu endorses book on army chief, lauds his leadership philosophy

…Says reforms prioritise mobile offensive operations, technology, troop welfare

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

Tinubu stated this in the foreword to 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 where 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.

Tinubu said the four pillars of professionalism, adaptability, combat readiness and resilience underpinned Shaibu’s command philosophy and guided the Army’s approach to training, equipment, combat operations and leadership.

He 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.

According to him, the reforms also encompass technology adoption, the indigenisation of military tools, improved personnel welfare and 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.

In an interview with newsmen on the motivation for the publication, Abubakar said his professional interactions with Shaibu began when the latter served as Brigade Commander in Bama and continued during his tenure as Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI.

He said the 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 systematically document the philosophy 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 centre, he said, was a Soldier-First culture that prioritised personnel welfare, morale, training, dignity and empowerment as 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 areas of responsibility.

Under the approach, he explained, senior commanders set operational objectives while allowing subordinate commanders to determine how best to achieve them based on prevailing battlefield conditions.

He said this could reduce delays in decision-making, strengthen accountability among junior commanders and improve the tempo of clearing and holding operations.

“The core of Mission Command is trust,” Abubakar said, stressing that commanders on the ground needed the authority to respond promptly to threats without waiting for multiple layers of approval.

He added that decentralised decision-making must be supported by adequate equipment, logistics, training and personnel welfare to sustain operational effectiveness.

In spite of the reforms, Abubakar identified intelligence gaps, inadequate persistent air support and the need for enhanced aerial surveillance as areas requiring further attention in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign.

He called for increased investment in human intelligence and stronger collaboration with credible community actors and private security outfits with local knowledge of conflict-prone areas.

He also advocated more persistent air support for ground troops and closer coordination between the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force.

According to him, strengthening Army Aviation and prioritising long-endurance drones could improve battlefield surveillance, situational awareness and commanders’ ability to respond to emerging threats.

Abubakar said Nigeria’s complex security environment, extensive borders and the asymmetric tactics employed by armed groups required continuous adaptation of military strategies and capabilities.

Drawing on his experiences in the North-East and North-West, he stressed that counter-insurgency could not be won through military action alone.

He called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving security agencies, government institutions and local communities in addressing insecurity.

Abubakar emphasised that the book was not a biography of Shaibu but an analysis of a military strategy and the institutional changes needed to sustain operational effectiveness.

He said the publication sought to stimulate discussions on how leadership, organisational structure and military culture could be aligned to address insurgency, terrorism and banditry.

He identified military expansion, fiscal discipline, personnel welfare and institutional adaptation as important considerations in strengthening the Army’s long-term capacity.

Abubakar said the book was intended to provide practical lessons for policymakers, military officers, cadets and Nigerians seeking to understand the principles guiding the Army’s current leadership.

He said the central message was that effective leadership under difficult 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 for presentation on Nov. 24, 2026 at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.