Major Bulama Biu was the first-ever academy regimental sergeant major to come from Nigeria after making so much impressive performance during his time in the Military academy.
Maj Bulama Biu was born on March 15, 1934, at Biu, which is now called Borno State and he lived (from 1934 to 1998. After his formal Elementary School education, he went through middle school education.
His military career began on February 5, 1952, when he was enlisted into the army. He was trained in Kaduna and served in the Royal West African Frontier Force.
When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria, she promoted him to the rank of Corporal because he was the best dressed young soldier at the parade.
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Bulama was a corporal at 44 Battalion Kaduna during the battalion field exercise (range, infiltration and intuition). He became the overall best soldier of the exercise. This had earned him a promotion to the rank of Sergeant.
His successful mission to Congo to rescue a British officer earned him a promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant. His hard work and dedication to duties were so obvious that he was appointed, in 1964 as the first Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He trained Regular Courses 1 to 21 Cadet Officers of distinguished character.
For his hard work and dedication to duty at the Academy, he was commissioned to the rank of Captain and posted to Depot Nigeria Army Training School Zaria in 1977. He became the Officer-in-Charge of the Nigerian Drill School.
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In recognition of his loyalty and dedicated service to the nation, Captain Bulama Biu was honored with the national award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON) in 1982 by then Nigerian president Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
He was promoted to the rank of Major and posted to the current Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) Jaji as Commanding Officer-in-charge of Drill.
He earned many Military Decorations/Awards amongst which are the Nigerian Independence Medal, Congo Medal, Civil War Medal, Long Service, and Good Conduct by Queen Elizabeth II and Member of the Order of Niger.
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Maj Biu retired from the army in 1987 at the rank of Major after serving for thirty-eight (38) years.
His last deployment was Nigeria Army School of Infantry Jaji where he was the Commanding Officer for the Drill Wing.
He passed away at Maiduguri Teaching Hospital on 16 March 1998 after a protracted illness that has not been disclosed in detail to the world to date.