Written By Aku Owaka-Haigh
Heading Photo Provided by Pierre-Christophe Gam
Ask anyone who went through a Western education system to name a Black revolutionary figure and they will likely say “Martin Luther King Jr.” or “Malcolm X”. Press them for a name outside of the United States and you might hear “Nelson Mandela” or “Marcus Garvey”, but a name you are not likely to hear is Thomas Sankara. However, his omission from our textbooks is no way indicative of Sankara’s significance as a Black revolutionary.
As a teenager, Sankara pursued a career in the military, inspired both by his father’s position as a gendarme (the military police) and the academic opportunities the military offered. Sankara’s strong moral standing would be influenced by the military, as he witnessed multiple coup d’états, the first of which was at the age of 17. This is when Sankara was first exposed to revolutionary communist ideas from around the world that would ultimately influence his policies 20 years later when he would be made president following another coup d’état.
Sankara is dubbed the ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’, due both to his communist ideology and due to the affinity people have for him as a revolutionary icon. In Sankara’s 4 short years as the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (1984-1987), he overthrew the colonial and neo-colonial institutions by removing the French colonial name (Republic of Upper Volta) and avoiding foreign aid, instead embracing African self-reliance. Sankara’s emphasis on self-reliance was a hallmark of his ideology and underscored his unwavering commitment to strengthening Burkina Faso, and Africa as a whole. He even called for African nations to reject their foreign debt, arguing that the exploited had no obligation to repay money to the exploiting. The agricultural output of Burkina Faso drastically improved, increasing the production of cereals by 75%, making the country self-sufficient in regards to food.
Immediately after gaining power, Sankara expedited the building of homes, factories, health centers, and water reservoirs, greatly improving the standard of living and bolstering African independence. One of the most dramatic changes during Sankara’s presidency was a program launched to combat the high literacy rate of Burkina Faso by building schools en masse and expanding education to girls. In those short 4 years, literacy rates grew from 13% to 73%.
Alongside a more educated Burkina Faso, Sankara also drove to create a more equal Burkina Faso, particularly in terms of gender equality. In a speech he gave on International Women’s day in 1987, Sankara stated equality is a “formidable but necessary” task, and to complete this task he appointed women to high positions in government, allowed their recruitment into the military, and granted pregnancy leave during education. Sanakra outlawed female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and polygamy in an effort to combat deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes.
Sankara sought to eradicate the growing wealth gap in Burkina Faso, particularly between the people and the political elite. He achieved this by reducing the salaries of civil servants (including his own) as well as requiring them to provide a portion of their salaries to public projects. By selling the government fleet of Mercedes, and requiring civil servants to wear traditional clothing produced by Burkinabe workers, Sankara eliminated the symbols of elitism in his government.
Sankara was an eccentric character dedicated to African people. When asked why he didn’t want his portrait hung in public places, as was the norm for other African leaders, Sankara replied “There are seven million Thomas Sankaras”. From vaccinating more than 2 million citizens in his 4-year presidency to building 700 km of rail, to combatting ecological damage by planting over 10 million trees. The accomplishments described in this article were achieved in only 4 years and, more impressively, without foreign aid. So, considering his profound achievements, one question consistently presents itself: why is Thomas Sankara omitted from western education?
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