The Land of Upright Men
After a dramatic entrance during President John Mahama's inauguration earlier this week, Captain Ibrahim Traore, President of Burkina Faso which means the land of upright men, is on everyone's lips.
So, who is he and what is he about? I can give you a few pointers on the same.
Ibrahim Traore has served in the Burkinabe military and was elevated to the rank of Captain in 2020. It is said that he is a man who is inspired by Marxism and Pan- Africanism.
Following rampant insecurity in the country in the form of armed insurgencies, many soldiers including Traore were disgruntled. This is especially because they complained of inadequate military equipment to thwart the insurgencies.
It is widely believed that the French government is behind the insecurity in the region for the purposes of extraction of mineral resources.
Colonel Paul Henry Damiba led a coup de tat, ousting civilian president Roch Gabore in January 2022. Paul Damiba then appointed Captain Traore to head an artillery regiment.
In September the same year, the Colonel was ousted by Captain Traore after he failed to quel the security issue, becoming President of Burkina Faso, and the youngest African President.
He notably flew to Russia for the Second Africa-Russia Summit in 2023, where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin. Weeks later, a Russian delegation led by the deputy defence minister visited Burkina Faso to follow up on the talks, forming a military cooperation.
Important to note would be the re-opening of the Russian embassy in Burkina Faso after it had been closed for 30 years and the expulsion of French troops, the ambassador and diplomats.
President Traore entered into a mutual defense pact formed between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso known as the Alliance of Sahel States. This is after threats were issued by ECOWAS threatening to take military action against the 2023 coup in Niger.
As President, he oversaw the approval of the construction of a gold refinery in November 2023. He has been lauded for reducing the salaries of ministers and politicians and refused a Presidential salary, opting to remain on his Captain's salary. He has also spearheaded agricultural initiatives in the country.
Ibrahim Traore has however, had multiple assassination attempts, I think we've even lost count of just how many they are. There was also an unsuccessful coup attempt against his regime in September, 2023.
His government has come under criticism for various reasons; for instance, it has been alleged that citizens and political leaders have been silenced by the regime. Also, there have been complaints that as much as there are improvents in security, the insurgencies are ongoing. Other sources of dissatisfaction are in the form of inflation and food insecurity.
My take on President Ibrahim Traore is that parallels can be drawn between him and the late revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara. There is a beam of hope on the African continent in his approach to leadership and his youthfulness at that.
He should however, remain objective and not fall victim to the trappings of power. Also, he should be weary of rogue elements which may attempt to infiltrate his regime and especially his inner-circle, as this method has been used to take out African Revolutionary leaders time and time again.
After a dramatic entrance during President John Mahama's inauguration earlier this week, Captain Ibrahim Traore, President of Burkina Faso which means the land of upright men, is on everyone's lips.
So, who is he and what is he about? I can give you a few pointers on the same.
Ibrahim Traore has served in the Burkinabe military and was elevated to the rank of Captain in 2020. It is said that he is a man who is inspired by Marxism and Pan- Africanism.
Following rampant insecurity in the country in the form of armed insurgencies, many soldiers including Traore were disgruntled. This is especially because they complained of inadequate military equipment to thwart the insurgencies.
It is widely believed that the French government is behind the insecurity in the region for the purposes of extraction of mineral resources.
Colonel Paul Henry Damiba led a coup de tat, ousting civilian president Roch Gabore in January 2022. Paul Damiba then appointed Captain Traore to head an artillery regiment.
In September the same year, the Colonel was ousted by Captain Traore after he failed to quel the security issue, becoming President of Burkina Faso, and the youngest African President.
He notably flew to Russia for the Second Africa-Russia Summit in 2023, where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin. Weeks later, a Russian delegation led by the deputy defence minister visited Burkina Faso to follow up on the talks, forming a military cooperation.
Important to note would be the re-opening of the Russian embassy in Burkina Faso after it had been closed for 30 years and the expulsion of French troops, the ambassador and diplomats.
President Traore entered into a mutual defense pact formed between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso known as the Alliance of Sahel States. This is after threats were issued by ECOWAS threatening to take military action against the 2023 coup in Niger.
As President, he oversaw the approval of the construction of a gold refinery in November 2023. He has been lauded for reducing the salaries of ministers and politicians and refused a Presidential salary, opting to remain on his Captain's salary. He has also spearheaded agricultural initiatives in the country.
Ibrahim Traore has however, had multiple assassination attempts, I think we've even lost count of just how many they are. There was also an unsuccessful coup attempt against his regime in September, 2023.
His government has come under criticism for various reasons; for instance, it has been alleged that citizens and political leaders have been silenced by the regime. Also, there have been complaints that as much as there are improvents in security, the insurgencies are ongoing. Other sources of dissatisfaction are in the form of inflation and food insecurity.
My take on President Ibrahim Traore is that parallels can be drawn between him and the late revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara. There is a beam of hope on the African continent in his approach to leadership and his youthfulness at that.
He should however, remain objective and not fall victim to the trappings of power. Also, he should be weary of rogue elements which may attempt to infiltrate his regime and especially his inner-circle, as this method has been used to take out African Revolutionary leaders time and time again.