Ouagadougou: Born in 1949 in Yako, Captain Thomas Sankara left his mark on the history of Burkina Faso and the African continent with his bold vision of endogenous development and a sovereign Africa from his military engagement to his rise to power in 1983, until his assassination in 1987, his journey remains that of a revolutionary leader whose legacy continues to guide Burkinabe and African youth.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the life of Thomas Isidore Noel Sankara began on December 21, 1949, in Yako, Passore province. His early years were marked by his education at the Kadiogo Military High School in 1966, which eventually became the Kadiogo Military Academy. Between 1969 and 1973, Sankara underwent military training at the Antsirabe Academy in Madagascar, where he was introduced to revolutionary, Marxist, and anti-imperialist ideas.
In 1973, upon returning to Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso, Sankara became an instructor officer at the National Commando Training Center in Po. The political landscape shifted in 1980 when Colonel Saye Zerbo's coup d'©tat led to Sankara's appointment as Secretary of State for Information. However, he resigned in April 1981, condemning the regime's authoritarian tendencies with his warning, "Woe to those who gag the people!"
A subsequent coup on November 7, 1982, saw Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo take power, appointing Sankara as Prime Minister in January 1983. His arrest on May 17, 1983, sparked widespread mobilization. On August 4, 1983, Sankara, leading the National Council of the Revolution, seized power and renamed the country Burkina Faso on August 4, 1984.
Sankara's legacy was further cemented when he addressed the OAU summit in Addis Ababa on July 29, 1987, urging African nations to refuse debt repayment collectively. His assassination on October 15, 1987, during a coup led by Captain Blaise Compaore, marked a turning point in Burkina Faso's history.
The fall of Blaise Compaore on October 31, 2014, reignited interest in Sankara's ideals among Burkinabe and African youth. In May 2015, Sankara's remains were exhumed for a judicial inquiry, culminating in the April 6, 2022, conviction of Blaise Compaore and accomplices for murder and endangering state security.
Thomas Sankara's remains were reburied on February 23, 2023, at the Thomas Sankara Memorial. On October 4, 2023, he was posthumously honored as a national hero by President Captain Ibrahim Traore. To commemorate his legacy, the former Charles De Gaulle Avenue was renamed President Thomas Sankara Avenue on October 15, 2023.
Looking ahead, May 17, 2025, will see the inauguration of the Thomas Sankara mausoleum in Ouagadougou, symbolizing the revival of his revolutionary memory. The first edition of the International Crossroads-Thomas Sankara Meetings (RICA-TS) is scheduled for October 13-14, 2025, in Ouagadougou, bringing together Pan-Africans to discuss his enduring political, cultural, and ideological impact.