Burkina Faso names boulevard after Thomas Sankara on anniversary of his assassination

Burkina Faso’s transitional government paid tribute Sunday (Oct. 15) to late revolutionary president Thomas Sankara, assassinated in a coup 36 years ago.

Attendees included relatives of the late leader, the president of the transition and government officials were in Ouagadougou.

The ceremony took place after Lte Sankara was elevated to the rank of hero of the nation in early October.

“Article 1. The late Captain Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara is recognised as a Hero of the Nation […] The day of homage to the late Captain Isidore Thomas Noël Sankara is to be celebrated every 15th of October in Ouagadougou,” Bassolma Bazié, Minister of the Civil Service of Burkina Faso said.

President of the transition captain Traoré laid the foundation stone for the Thomas Sankara Mausoleum. The mausoleum will be built on the very site of the assassination of Thomas Sankara and of 12 of his companions.

Boulevard Charles de Gaulle, adjoining the memorial, was renamed after the Pan-Africanist icon and former president.

“Today the Boulevard has been named Boulevard Thomas Sankara instead of Boulevard Charles de Gaulle. So today we’re very proud. Because if the Boulevard had been named after imperialists, today we think that we also have heroes, we also have valiant Burkinabe [after whom we] can name these Boulevards or streets […]”

Thomas Sankara, who came to power in a coup in 1983, was killed along with twelve of his companions by a commando of putschists.

Former president Blaise Compaoré who was Sankara’s right-handman was sentenced to life in prison over Sankara’s murder in 2022.

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