Buratai jumps from a plane, Idris Deby lands a military helicopter. What these mean!

Burarai

 

General Buratai using a parachute

Buratai on visit to troops location. A major highlight of the tour was the inspection of various military stores, hardwares and other assets including artillery, motar, anti aircraft guns, multi barrel launchers, armoured personnel carriers and many gun trucks among others in all the visited super camps. (NAN)

Idris Deby landed a military chopper at the war front

Idris Deby at the war front

Vladmir Putin, shirtless on horse

Vladmir Putin in glider

…How leaders dramatically boost troops’morale

By Ademola Adegbamigbe

In Nigeria, Lt. General Tukur Buratai traveled to the North East of Nigeria, the epicenter of the Boko Haram war. He boarded a war plane and jumped down with a parachute. That was to send a message to the enemy camp that a macho man has come to the war front. The photograph went viral on social media.

In Chad, President Idris Deby left his country and took the battle to the camp of Boko Haram in Nigeria. He did not slither into camp, he came in a dramatic way. According to a report by Alwihdainfo.com, “Before returning to the capital of Chad (Ndjamena), the head of state went to Boko Haram bases liberated by the Chadian army in Niger territory. He landed the military helicopter himself, having had pilot training.”

That political and military leaders go to the war front in such manner to boost the morale of the rank and file is as old as history itself. This is depicted in Gladiator, a Roman historical/epic  movie, starring General Maximus who, in the war front rides on horseback, telling his soldiers: “Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so. Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you’re already dead!” Like wolves in a park, the fighters howled in laughter and assured their commander of their loyalty.

At the height of when Russia was coming out of perestroika and glasnost and Vladmir Putin, a sleuth turned President whose look is as cold as gun metal, went on safari, rode a horse half clad, his muscles bulging, killed a tiger and went fishing. These were to tell the West that in the new war after the collapse of the iron curtain, a strongman is now in charge. There is a new sheriff in town in Russia.

As we reported this week on this platform, “The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday embarked on operational tour of troops’ locations in the theatre of operations against insurgency across the North East.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in all the locations visited, Buratai interacted with the officers and men.

While addressing troops in Super Camp 1 at Molai and the Special Forces Super Camp 12 in Chabbol near Maiduguri, he expressed his appreciation and that of President Muhammadu Buhari for their commitment, dedication and sacrifices to the nation.

Buratai emphasised the need for officers and men of the Army to reinvigorate their efforts and to hasten the defeat of insurgency in Nigeria.”

 

See more photos:

 

General Collin Powel, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US at the Gulf war front in Iraq during operation desert storm

Former President George Bush also visited the US soldiers at the Iraq war front

 

Iraqi’s Saddam Hussein visited the war front, encouraging the soldiers to show the US the mother of all battles.