Amid all the changes happening in the Sahel, one figure stands taller than many others - Burkina Faso’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré. His youth, his energy, his Pan-Africanism, his revolutionary zeal, his military fatigues and beret - all mark him out. But these attributes are strongly reminiscent of another charismatic Burkinabe leader - the man who gave the country its name under his revolutionary leadership, Captain Thomas Sankara.
We don’t know if Traoré also has a penchant for playing the electric guitar and composing national anthems like Sankara did, but in terms of political will and Pan-African vision and determination, he’s the re-embodiment. Alas, Sankara and his cause were betrayed when he was assassinated in 1987. Will Ibrahim Traoré be allowed to push ahead with his transformative policies for the region, like his federation with Mali and, it’s hoped, Niger and Guinea? Here’s a quick look at what the two captains have in common.
#Niger #IbrahimTraore #ThomasSankara #BurkinaFaso