by KIM PETERSEN
From Samori Touré to Thomas Sankara [left], our ancestors chose resistance. Now, we must choose: either we fight for sovereignty, or we remain slaves to neo-colonialism.
— captain Ibrahim Traoré [right], Interview with Radio Omega FM, November 2023
A young, by political standards, military captain, now an acting president has captured widespread admiration in Burkina Faso and across Africa. The legend of Ibrahim Traoré appears to be growing by leaps and bounds.
But to understand from whence captain Traoré comes, one should be cognizant of the young revolutionary Marxist leader captain Thomas Sankara who served the people of Burkina Faso (Land of Upright People) before Traoré. Tragically, Sankara was assassinated in a hail of gunfire, betrayed by his close friend Blaise Compaore.
African Hub calls Thomas Sankara the best president in Africa’s history. During Sanakara’s four years as leader he:
Empowered women.
Increased literacy from 13-73% refused aids and made his country self reliant.
Renamed his country to Burkina Faso (meaning Land of the Upright People)
Vaccinated 2M kids.
Reduced all public servants salaries including his.
Built 350 schools, roads, railways without foreign aid
Increased literacy rate by 60%
Banned forced marriages
Gave poor people land
Planted 10 million trees
Appointed females to high governmental positions, encouraged them to work, recruited them into the military, and granted pregnancy leave
Sold off the government fleet of Mercedes cars and made the Renault 5 (the cheapest car sold in Burkina Faso at that time) the official service car of the ministers.
He reduced the salaries of all public servants, including his own, and forbade the use of government chauffeurs and 1st class airline tickets.
As President, he lowered his salary to $450 a month and limited his possessions to a car, four bikes, three guitars, a fridge and a broken freezer.
He opposed foreign aid, saying that “he who feeds you, controls you.”
Drove out French imperialism & withdrew Burkina Faso from the IMF.
He was later killed in a French backed coup in 1987.
Thomas Sankara, the man, was killed, but his ideals live on. Into the fore another revolutionary has stepped. Ibrahim Traoré is serving the Burkinabé. African Hub calls Traoré, “The youngest and most loved President in the world.”
Russia’s president Vladimir Putin seems to have recognized this appeal and invited Traoré to Moscow. Nigeria’s Igbere Television reported on the dignified transportation accorded to Burkina Faso’s acting president for the 80th Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on 9 May:
Russia didn’t just invite President Ibrahim Traoré to Moscow — they sent a state aircraft to personally pick him up from Burkina Faso. That’s not diplomacy. That’s respect.
That’s symbolism. In a world where African leaders are often summoned like subordinates, this moment flips the script. It tells a new story: of African sovereignty being recognized, of alliances built on mutual interest — not colonial residue.
The security provided for the distinguished guest reportedly included two accompanying Su27 fighter jets.
Given the history of what happened to Sankara and the threats posed by imperialist operatives, the high level of security is understandable, especially given that Traoré is said to have survived 19 assassination attempts.
Traoré himself came to power through a coup against another coup leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba who fled to Togo. Traoré was disillusioned by Damiba’s failure at handling the “jihadist” insurgency in his country. Armed jihadist groups, purportedly linked to Al Qaeda, are fighting Burkinabè government forces.
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