Thomas Sankara was the leader of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987. He was the President of the National Council of the Revolution and was dubbed the African Che Guevara. He was a revolutionary, a believer in womens rights, an advocate of African unity, and a champion of grass-roots democracy.
Thomas Sankara was born in 1951 in the provinces of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) in West Africa. He was the youngest of 11 siblings and was raised in a rural area by his mother, a traditional herbalist. From a young age, Sankara excelled in his studies and developed an interest in politics. He was active in the revolutionary Bandung Students Union, which advocated for the independence of African nations from European colonialism.
After attending college in Ivory Coast, Sankara joined the newly established Burkinabé military. He was quickly promoted and gained the full support of the nation’s first president, Sangoule Lamizana. Under his leadership, Burkina Faso underwent an ambitious process of modernization and reform. He decentralized the government, nationalized the country’s resources and industries, redistributed land, and made universal health care and education available to the poor. He earned the admiration of the poor citizens, but simultaneously incurred the ire of the privileged and powerful.
On August 4th, 1983, Sankara was named the president of the National Council of the Revolution and embarked on the most remarkable social and political experiments of the twentieth century. In an effort to fight corruption and increase transparency, Sankara changed the name of the country from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, and encouraged citizens to reject French colonialism and dress traditionally. He also promised to end tribalism and designated women an equal place in society. In addition, he was determined to make modern science and technology available to the citizens of Burkina Faso.
However, despite his popularity and accomplishments, Sankara’s political career was cut short in 1987 when he was assassinated during a coup led by his former friend, Blaise Compaoré. Compaoré, with the support of French interests, ordered the assassination of Sankara and erased his memory from official history. Nevertheless, his popularity in Burkina Faso and among progressive circles in Africa has endured the test of time.
Today, the legacy of Thomas Sankara lives on in the streets of Burkina Faso. His influence is felt in the anti-corruption, anti-globalization and pro-environment policies of the current government. He has also been honored as a symbol of African liberation and resistance around the world, from Peru to Zimbabwe. Though he was taken from his people prematurely, his spirit and his belief in the power of the people continue to inspire those seeking meaningful social and economic change in Africa and beyond.
