Ibrahim Traoré: Burkina Faso's revolutionary rise to leadership

Watch Ibrahim Traoré: Burkina Faso's revolutionary rise to leadership - Guardian Nigeria on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00The rise of Ibrahim Traore. You have probably heard the name Captain Ibrahim Traore by now,

00:08a cool leader turned people's favorite. But how did a former geology student and officer

00:15become the face of a bold new pan-African wave? In a continent where democracy often stumbles,

00:23one name is rising above the noise, Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso. Born March 14th, 1988 in Bondoku,

00:35western Burkina Faso, Traore once studied geology at the University of Ogadougou. But in 2010,

00:44he took a different part, joining the military. Fast forward a few years and he is handing stripes

00:51in anti-terror operations across the Sahel. Praised for his discipline, feared for his resolve.

01:01Then in September 2022, at just 34 years old, he did the unthinkable. He led a coup that ousted

01:09interim president Paul Henry Damiba and overnight became the youngest head of state in the world.

01:17Many expected the usual, another strongman in uniform. But Traore had other plans.

01:26He caught ties with France, Burkina Faso's former colonizer. He embraced strategic alliances,

01:34notably with Russia. And he began reshaping the country's future with radical reforms aimed at

01:41returning world to the people. At just 37, dressed in military fatigues and a red barrette, he is no

01:49longer just a president. He is a symbol and a movement. And here is why his name is echoing

01:57across borders. He defied France and has spared its military from Burkina Faso. He welcomed new

02:05alliances, especially with Russia. He nationalized key resources, including gold, for public benefit.

02:14He declared war on exploitation, foreign and local. And he prioritized education, industry, tech,

02:23infrastructure, without sidelining agriculture. His tone is bold. His image revolutionary. His mission

02:33to reclaim African dignity from foreign grave. And like Sankare before him, he doesn't lead from afar.

02:42He walks among the people, speaks their pay, feeds their hope. In stadiums and on the street and all over

02:51social media, his message resonates. From Burkina Faso to Bene, Lagos to London, Nairobi to Moscow,

03:01the chants are growing louder. This isn't just politics. It is a resurgence. A new story for a new

03:10Africa. Now, is he without critics? No. His crackdown on descent and lingering insurgency raise real

03:20concerns. But love him or loat him, Captain Ibrahim Tauri has made the world pay attention. Will his

03:29revolution endure? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure. Ibrahim Tauri has already shaken the ground

03:38beneath the whole order. And for many across the continent, a new chapter has begun.