Thomas Sankara, the ‘African Che Guevara’ Who Tried to Save Burkina Faso from French Imperialism
- After a successful coup against a corrupt government in Burkina Faso in 1983, Thomas Sankara was nicknamed “Che Guevara in Africa.”
- Sankara, formerly known as “Upper Volta,” changed its name to the land of Burkina Faso, meaning “land for equal people.”
- Sankara is a pan-African who aims to build a self-sufficient and economically sufficient population by eliminating widespread government corruption.
- He also helped the country eliminate dependence on former French settlers and other foreign aid.
- According to his biography, Sankara’s foreign policy focuses on “anti-imperialism, and his government avoids all foreign aid and demands an abominable debt relief.”
- At the same time, its domestic policy focuses on preventing hunger through self-sufficiency and land reform, promoting public health, and prioritizing education.
- Sankara is committed to protecting the environment and is determined to stop female genital mutilation, commonly known as female genital mutilation.
- As a promoter of women’s rights, he also pledged to appoint women as leaders in Burkina Faso’s government.
- On October 15, 1987, Sankara was assassinated by 13 other officers. They were all shot.
- His murder was organized by his close ally Blaise Compaoré and was supported by the French.
