All over the world nations have been blessed with characters of valor worthy of imitation; People who are nothing more than gifts to humanity. The unfortunate thing is that very often it seems that African heroes are “non-hostile” and less remembered. They will forget in their lifetime how long they have been gone from us. Since history is not stumbled upon in schools, little or nothing will be known about some notable people in history that we should know like on the palm of our hand. One of these leaders was Thomas Sankara from Burkinafaso.
Late last year, Burkina Faso was all over the news for every political squabble you can think of. The nation has struggled with its President, who has been in power since 1987. Blais Compaore overthrew Thomas Sankara’s government and assumed power from there until he reluctantly resigned from the position in December 2015. In connection with the fact that he was tried for the murder of his comrade and the head of state of Burkina Faso, Captain Thomas Sankara.
Thomas Sankara Biography
Who was/is Thomas Sankara? Like Mandela to South Africa, Thomas is to Burkina Faso. Sankara was born on December 21, 1949 in Yako, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). He was a military officer and Pan-Africanist. He became President of the Upper Volta and ruled from August 4, 1983 after a military coup organized by Blaise Compaore until 1987.
The son of World War II veteran Joseph Sankara, Sankara began his military career at age 19 and became President of Burkina Faso at 33. He changed the nation’s name from “Upper Volta” to “Burkina Faso”, meaning “land of upright men”. He was a “Marxist” revolutionary, pan-Africanist and incredibly loved by the people. Though his anti-imperialist stance and grassroots popularity increasingly brought him into conflict with conservatives such as then-President Ouédraogo, Sankara consistently made strides to bring a better life to the Burkinabes.
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara is one of a kindpersonalities in the history and record of African presidents. Through his steps and actions, he was not only president but acted like a father for Burkinabes. In a very discouraging way he showed love, a spirit of sacrifice and genuine leadership for his people. In a few years of his reign he drastically changed the country’s economic and general prospects for the better. earned $450 a month; Self-extinction was his motto; he encouraged hard work and self-sufficiency in his administration; he advocated the empowerment of women, thereby ending female genital mutilation (FGM) and polygamy; He revolutionized the healthcare and education sectors, particularly in remote parts of the country.
assassination
Often referred to as the “Che Guevara” of Africa, he overthrew a controversial tyrant and seized power in 1983. In the evening hours of October 15, 1987, he served four years until his horrific assassination. The captain was assassinated during a bloody coup in Burkina Faso that brought his one-time close friend Blaise Compaoré to power. The ruthlessly executed counter-coup left Sankara in an extremely vulnerable state, with few of his military guard present when he met with his team of advisors at the old headquarters of the Conseil de l’Entente.
Not only was Sankara killed during the massive gunfight, all of his aides and a group of advisers present for the brief meeting were also killed after the gunmen sprayed their venue with automatic weapon fire. Sankara was shot multiple times and he died without saying anything.
quotes
- Without patriotic political education, a soldier is just a potential criminal.
- It took yesterday’s madmen before we could act with utmost clarity today. I want to be one of those crazy people. We must dare to invent the future.
- Inequality can only be eliminated by building a new society in which men and women enjoy equal rights resulting from an upheaval in the means of production and all social relations. Therefore, women’s status will only improve if the system that exploits them is eliminated.
- I can hear the roar of woman’s silence.
- Who feeds you controls you.
- Our country produces enough to feed us all. Unfortunately, due to lack of organization, we are forced to ask for food aid. It is this help that instills in us the attitude of beggars.
- Anything that man can imagine, he can create.
- The mind is, so to speak, smothered by ignorance, but as soon as the ignorance is destroyed, the mind shines forth like the sun when it is freed from the clouds.
- Imperialism is a system of exploitation that does not only appear in the brutal form of those who come with arms to conquer territory. Imperialism often comes in more subtle forms: credit, food aid, blackmail. We fight this system that allows a handful of people on Earth to rule all of humanity.
- The enemies of a people are those who keep them in ignorance.
- We must learn to live African. This is the only way to live in freedom and dignity.
- Che Guevara taught us that we can dare to have faith in ourselves; confidence in our abilities. He instilled in us the belief that combat is our only recourse. He was a citizen of the free world we are building together. That’s why we say Che Guevara is also African and Burkinabe.
Brief facts about Thomas Sankara
| Full name | Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara |
| Place of birth | Yako, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) |
| birthday | December 21, 1949 |
| date of death | October 15, 1987 |
| age at time of death | 38 years |
| occupation | Military Officer, President of Burkina Faso |
| parents | Joseph Sankara and Marguerite Sankara |
| spouse | Mariam Sankara (born Sereme). Born March 26, 1954 |
| number of siblings | 9 (He was the third of 10 children) |
| children | Philippe (born August 10, 1980) and August (born September 21, 1982). |