Thomas Sankara was only president of Burkina Faso for four years, but he improved literacy, liberated women, and spoke out against imperialism before his assassination in 1987.
Patrick Durand / Sygma via Getty ImagesThomas Sankara in 1986 , just a year before his assassination .
A surviving witness draw the gunfire from Kalashnikov rifle as rainwater falling on a tin can roof . Within a matter of minutes , Thomas Sankara , Burkina Faso ’s young and charismatic president , was dead .
In power for just four age , Sankara had constitute widely - sweep reform that liberated women , improved literacy , and helped the environment . He ’d even rename the country , casting aside its Gallic compound name “ Upper Volta ” for “ Burkina Faso ” or “ Land Of Upright People . ”
Patrick Durand/Sygma via Getty ImagesThomas Sankara in 1986, just a year before his assassination.
But not everyone was felicitous with Sankara ’s reforms . Some were threatened by Sankara ’s anti - imperialistic stance . Others found him at sound bizarre — and at worst savage and tyrannous .
Though most lie down blame for his assassination at the metrical unit of his former champion , Blaise Compaoré , others marvel if France had a impenetrable handwriting in his death .
The Early Life Of A Future Revolutionary
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara grew up in a speedily exchange world . Born on December 21 , 1949 , in the French colony of Upper Volta , he came of eld as France ’s power belittle . In 1960 , Upper Volta shook off the shackles of colonialism and adjudge its independency .
Sankara had an independent spirit , too . Though his Roman Catholic Catholic parentshoped their boy would become a non-Christian priest , Sankara had other ideas . To his parent ’ chagrin , Thomas Sankara coif out to become a soldier , rather .
In the military , he absorbed newfangled theme about the universe . He read about revolutionaries while living in France , and look on a rotation unfold in material - time in Madagascar . He even saw natural process in 1974 during a molding clash with neighboring Mali , from which Sankara emerged as something of a hero .
Archives Jeune AfriqueBlaise Compaoré, left, with Thomas Sankara, center, on Aug. 4, 1983, the day that Sankara seized power.
All the while , Thomas Sankara had begin to develop his own idea .
“ A soldier without political education is but a crook in power,”he musedwhile stationed in Madagascar . And following his role in the Mali conflict , Sankara wrote that he was “ profoundly troubled ” by the “ unjust and useless fight . ”
Unjust or not , Thomas Sankara emerge from the mete struggle as a public physique — and his adept uprise as political instability racked the country . In 1983 , the 33 - year - old was tapped to be quality rector for the government of President Jean - Baptiste Ouédraogo , who ’d grab power in a coup d’etat - d’etat the year before .
Alain Nogues/Sygma/Sygma via Getty ImagesPresident Thomas Sankara in 1986, one year before his assassination.
Sankara did n’t last long as prime minister . cock-a-hoop things were on the horizon .
How Thomas Sankara Took Burkina Faso To Great Heights
As prize minister of religion , Thomas Sankara frequently clash with Jean - Baptiste Ouédraogo . The president was conservative and “ Western - orient “ ; Sankara was reformist and a staunch anti - imperialist .
By May 1983 , Ouédraogo had had enough . He sack Sankara and throw away him in slammer . But Sankara ’s friend and familiar Blaise Compaoré organized an August takeover d’etat that take Ouédraogo from power . From the ashes of that coup , Thomas Sankara became the new president of Upper Volta .
Archives Jeune AfriqueBlaise Compaoré , left , with Thomas Sankara , center , on Aug. 4 , 1983 , the day that Sankara seized king .
Patrick AVENTURIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesBlaise Compaoré in 1986, a year before he allegedly orchestrated a coup that killed Thomas Sankara.
Thepurpose of the coup d’etat , Sankara told the people of Upper Volta two month later was “ to eliminate imperialist mastery and exploitation ; and to vomit up the countryside of all the social , economic , and cultural obstacles that keep it in a feebleminded state . ”
Then , Thomas Sankara got to act upon .
Over the next four long time , Sankara constitute a number of dramatic reform that transformed the country — in some font , literally . On the first anniversary of his presidency , he changed “ Upper Volta ” to “ Burkina Faso , ” which some translates to the “ Land of Upright People ” in two of the country ’s indigenous language .
Olympia de Maismont/AFP via Getty ImagesTwo men pose in front of the Thomas Sankara statue in 2020.
Underhis watch , 2.5 million shaver were vaccinated against diseases like meningitis and measles , literacy pace soared from 13 percentage in 1983 to 73 percent in 1987 — thanks to fresh free and compulsory pedagogy — and 10 million tree were plant to preclude desertification .
Sankara also elevated Burkina Faso ’s women , outlawing practices like polygamy , forced marriage , and genital mutilation , and welcomed women into high - level roles in his administration .
Alain Nogues / Sygma / Sygma via Getty ImagesPresident Thomas Sankara in 1986 , one yr before his assassination .
Burkina Faso ’s raw Chief Executive embraced the novel reality order he require to build . Sankara reduced his earnings to $ 450 a month . He replace the governmental Mercedes with inexpensive Renaults . The president even refused air conditioning in his office , as it was a sumptuosity few could afford .
And on the worldly concern stage , he was emphatic about Africa ’s independence .
“ We take over as our own the affirmation of the Doctrine whereby Europeans must not interpose in American personal matters , ” Sankara thundered to the U.N. in 1984 . “ Just as Monroe proclaim “ America to the Americans ” in 1823 , we recall this today by saying “ Africa to the Africans , ” “ Burkina to the Burkinabè . ”
To his fellow citizens , he warned “ he who feed you , controls you ” and pushed for Burkina Faso to be ego - sufficient , inspiring countless people with his bold stance .
Why Resistance Against Sankara Began To Take Shape
However , not everyone admire the ambitious immature president . feudalistic lords resent that he ’d redistribute their land . whisper spread that Sankara ’s opponents were torment . And some contemn Sankara ’s stranger orders , like that political science employee wear clothing made from local cotton .
Plus , world powers like the United States take in with displeasure as Sankara strengthened ties with Libya ’s Muammar Gaddafi and Cuba ’s Fidel Castro . Sankara even wore a female parent - of - pearl pistol at his hip gifted to him by North Korea ’s Kim Il Sung .
“ [ Sankara ] hold out further than necessary in my opinion , ” the French president François Mitterrandsaid .
By 1987 , Thomas Sankara had made plenty of opposition . And one of them was his previous friend , Blaise Compaoré .
Patrick AVENTURIER / Gamma - Rapho via Getty ImagesBlaise Compaoré in 1986 , a class before he allegedly orchestrated a takeover that down Thomas Sankara .
As Compaoré tells it , a group of hands loyal to him heard that Sankara planned to kill him . So , they struck first . On Oct. 15 , 1987 , they ambush Sankara on his agency to a government activity meeting .
A western diplomatist who speak to one of Sankara ’s surviving bodyguardsdescribed the blackwash :
“ [ Sankara ] bring up his hand and said : ‘ Take me . I ’m the one you want . ’ Compaoré ’s men sprayed him with Kalashnikov fire and then finished him off with a grenade . ”
After sink Sankara and his men in an unmarked tomb , Blaise Compaoré assumed the administration . He harbour power in Burkina Faso until he was forced to resign in 2014 fall out popular objection .
But the story of Thomas Sankara does n’t quite cease there .
Who Really Killed Thomas Sankara?
Today , Thomas Sankara is seen as a hero in Burkina Faso . His look grace stickers and deoxythymidine monophosphate - shirt , and there ’s even a large statue of him in the country ’s cap , Ouagadougou .
Olympia de Maismont / AFP via Getty ImagesTwo men bewilder in front of the Thomas Sankara statue in 2020 .
But motion stay about his death . Though Compaoré always denied explicitly set up Sankara ’s character assassination , he and 13 other human being are currently on trial for his death . ( Compaoré , living in transportation in the Ivory Coast , is being seek in absentia . )
“ We have been waiting for this moment,”said Mariam Sankara , Thomas Sankara ’s widow woman . Though she ’s confident that Compaoré organize her husband ’s decease , Mariam believe he had help from France .
Indeed , France has long faced such allegations . And the French president , Emmanuel Macron , even agreed to send a number of declassified file to Burkina Faso for review in 2017 . However , he did not transmit any from François Mitterand , whose presidential term overlapped with Sankara ’s .
Though his life and his presidency were tailor short , Thomas Sankara ’s bequest remains compelling to many living in Burkina Faso today . Sankara himself realize that , remark a week before he died : “ While revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered , you’re able to not kill ideas . ”
After record about the sprightliness and death of Thomas Sankara , come upon the story ofPatrice Lumumba , another immature African leader who die by blackwash . Or , discover how theAshanti Empirebecame one of the most brawny kingdoms in pre - colonial Africa .
