On April 16, 2025, a wave of shockwaves traveled from the dusty streets of Ouagadougou to the glass towers of New York, London, and Lagos. News broke of yet another assassination attempt—the 19th since September 2022—on Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the transitional president of Burkina Faso.
But instead of the usual silence or fear that follows such violence, the world witnessed something unprecedented: a global movement. Thousands flooded streets across the planet with a singular, defiant message: “Hands off Traoré.” This moment signaled more than just support for a leader; it signaled a potential “endgame” for traditional Western influence in West Africa.
1. The Rise of the Geologist-Soldier
To understand the fervor behind Traoré, one must look at the wreckage he inherited. By 2022, Burkina Faso was a nation on the brink. Decades of corruption, economic stagnation, and a spiraling jihadist insurgency had left the government powerless.
Traoré was not a product of the political elite. A geologist turned soldier, he was shaped by the brutal reality of the front lines. While senior officers languished in the safety of the capital, Traoré saw his peers bleed in the bush. This disconnect fueled his rise. In September 2022, he led a coup to oust Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, who himself had failed to curb the violence after toppling President Kaboré months earlier.
At 37, Traoré became the world’s youngest leader. In a continent where the median age is 19 but leaders are often in their 70s or 80s, his youth was his first message: The old guard is finished.
2. Breaking the “Puppet” Strings
Unlike his predecessors, who often sought immediate legitimacy from Paris or the IMF, Traoré took a path of radical sovereignty. His “Burkina First” policy focused on three pillars:
-
Military Independence: He ordered French special forces to leave the country, arguing that their years-long presence had failed to stop terrorism.
-
Economic Defiance: He rejected loans from the IMF and World Bank, citing the “painful conditions” that keep African nations in a cycle of debt.
-
Symbolic Austerity: Traoré cut government salaries, refused luxury perks, and kept his modest rank of Captain, echoing the humbleness of his idol, Thomas Sankara.
The Shift to the East
When the West gave him the cold shoulder, Traoré looked East. Today, Russian, Chinese, and Turkish flags fly alongside the Burkinabé colors. By signing deals for drones, hospitals, and infrastructure without the “lectures” often attached to Western aid, Traoré has redefined Burkina Faso’s geopolitical standing.
3. The “Gold War”: Nationalizing the Soil
The true danger to Traoré’s life likely stems from his economic reforms. Burkina Faso is Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer, yet for decades, the wealth flowed to mining giants in Canada, Australia, and France.
Traoré’s Bold Moves:
-
Nationalization: He took control of major gold mines.
-
Export Ban: He banned the export of raw gold to Europe.
-
Local Processing: He launched the country’s first state-owned refinery, capable of processing 150 tons of gold annually, ensuring the value-added profits stay within the borders.
-
Manganese Focus: He secured untapped deposits of manganese, a critical mineral for the global electric vehicle (EV) battery market.
By questioning where the gold goes and who gets rich, Traoré didn’t just reform an economy; he threatened the bottom lines of global power brokers.
4. Echoes of 1987: The Ghost of Thomas Sankara
The comparison between Traoré and Thomas Sankara is not just stylistic—it is historical. In 1983, Sankara attempted to transform the “Republic of Upper Volta” into “Burkina Faso” (The Land of Upright Men). He was assassinated in 1987 in a coup led by his “friend” Blaise Compaoré, allegedly with the backing of French intelligence.
In April 2025, Traoré explicitly referenced this history. He warned that the same forces that killed Sankara—and other African visionaries like Patrice Lumumba (Congo) and Muammar Gaddafi (Libya)—were now knocking at his door. The 19 assassination attempts serve as a grim reminder that challenging the “status quo” in Africa often comes with a terminal price.
5. A Continent Divided: Hope vs. Skepticism
While the “Hands off Traoré” protests show a massive surge in popular support, the Captain faces significant challenges:
| The Case for Hope | The Case for Skepticism |
| Sovereignty: Reclaiming resources and kicking out colonial influence. | Delayed Democracy: The transition to civilian rule moved from 2024 to 2029. |
| Public Support: 66% of citizens support military intervention when politicians fail. | Human Rights: Reports of journalist harassment and silencing of opposition. |
| Regional Unity: Formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with Mali and Niger. | Security Risks: The insurgency remains a violent, uphill battle. |
Conclusion: A New Script for Africa?
The events of April 2025 suggest that the old script—where a defiant African leader is quietly removed and replaced by a “friendly” face—may no longer work. The digital age has connected the African diaspora, making it impossible to ignore the struggle for sovereignty.
Whether Traoré survives to see his “electric car factories” and “nuclear plants” come to fruition remains to be seen. However, his movement has already achieved a major victory: it has proven that a new generation of Africans is no longer asking for permission to own their future.
What do you think? Is Captain Traoré the leader Africa needs, or is he taking too many risks?