Blaise Compaore: The Failure of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso which means the land of upright men was given its inspirational name by the visionary Thomas Sankara who was assassinated by Blaise Campoure in 1987. Earlier, the country was known as Upper Volta by the colonial French who invaded to country in the scramble for Africa in  the 1880s.

Blaise Compaore is the deposed Burkina Faso ex-President whose name should live in infamy. He was tried for the murder of several Burkinabe protesters during his 27 year reign of failure of the highest order. The youth forced him out of office after he tried to change the constitution to allow him to extend his 27 year term. Today he lives a comfortable life in Ivory Coast having looted the nations reserves. After 27 years in power he has no record of achievement.

Compaore should be tried for treason; he murdered one of the greatest leaders to have ever presided over an African nation Thomas Sankara. Sankara was an economic freedom fighter who believed that the Burkinabe had to defend their homeland through economic freedom and doing for self. He accurately pointed out that there was no nation on earth that ever achieved anything significant as a beggar on an aid program. Sankara as famous for stating;

“Let’s produce in Africa, manufacture in Africa and consume in Africa”

These ideas were considered socialist ideas during the cold war era of the 1980s, however, these are the same ideas many western leaders are now proposing in a bid to slow the effect of globalization. Donald Trump, for example, recently won the American Presidency by proposing the same principles.

Since 2012, Burkina Faso has been attacked by Islamic militants and the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Blaise Compaore. Compaore squandered 27 years when he could have built Burkina Faso’s economy so that the Burkinabe could defend their homeland against terrorism. A poor nation that is perpetually in beggar mode cannot defend itself and has to rely on the benevolence of its colonial master for protection against Islamic invaders. This made Burkina Faso a target for Islamic terrorists.

Compaore is the poster of corruption, incompetence and cowardice. He was labeled the peacemaker in the Sahel region. ‘Peacemaker’ is a subjective term that is used to refer to weak and pathetic leaders who seek self-esteem from global accolades rather than defending their homeland. It is the consolation that is given to cowards to pacify their failures.

A homeland cannot be defended by aid it is defended by a vibrant economy. Compaore spent his energy trying to be a global player without building an economy and the Burkinabe are paying the ultimate price of his incompetence with their lives. Poverty stricken areas are havens and targets for terrorism. In the history of mankind there has never been a superpower that could not feed itself. Under Blaise Compaore Burkina Faso was considered one of the poorest countries in Africa with 47% of Burkinabe living in poverty. Compaore’s greatest act of treason was teaching the children to live on their knees. Compaore may be dubbed a successful leader but only through the lenses of the soft bigotry of low expectations.