Something extraordinary is happening in West Africa, and the world can’t stop talking about it. Burkina Faso once one of the poorest nations on the continent is undergoing a radical transformation that feels more like a revolution than a mere political shift. And at the heart of it all is one man: Ibrahim Traoré.
At just 35 years old, Traoré seized power through a military coup in 2023, toppling a dysfunctional government and sending shockwaves through not only Burkina Faso but across the entire African continent. Critics may call him a dictator, but the people call him a savior. What he’s achieving in such a short time is nothing short of historic.
Under Traoré’s leadership, Burkina Faso has stopped handing over its natural wealth to former colonizers. Gold, once exported raw to France for a paltry annual return of $1 billion, is now processed locally thanks to a Russian-assisted refinery. The result? A staggering $15 billion in added value remains within the country. That’s the difference leadership makes.
Road development has skyrocketed from just 3,000 kilometers of paved roads to a target of 5,000 kilometers added each year. And get this: it’s funded entirely by the government, not through international loans or IMF debt traps. Citizens themselves are helping build their future, literally.
And it doesn’t stop there. Traoré is calling on citizens to invest in national projects, like the construction of tomato processing plants a staple in African cuisine. With just 10,000 CFA (around $17 USD), any Burkinabè can invest in their country’s development. Three factories are already planned, with more on the way.
Farmers now receive free modern equipment. Industry is booming. Electric vehicle assembly plants are rising, with vehicles proudly named after the nation the first model: “Sahel.” Colonial-era names are being removed and replaced with Burkinabè heritage.
But here’s the moment that defines Traoré’s priorities. When Saudi Arabia offered to fund 1,000 churches in his Muslim-majority country, he declined not out of hostility toward religion, but out of focus. “We need development, not distractions,” is the message.
And the people love him for it. So much so, they sleep in the streets at night to protect him from plots and coups. His popularity isn’t just national people from neighboring African countries are looking to him with admiration and hope.
Compare that to our own nation. When will we learn? If a country like Burkina Faso can rise from exploitation and poverty to become a beacon of independence and self-reliance, what excuse do we have?
Perhaps it’s time we stopped looking to the West for validation and started looking across the continent for inspiration. The winds of change are blowing from Africa’s Sahel and we’d be foolish not to take note.
Ibrahim Trarore, purely by virtue of his determination to uplift his country from the clutches of western imperialism will become a target for elimination or regime change, suffocating sanctions etc so that a beholden sycophantic acolyte can be installed instead. He really needs to watch his back, as the technological superiority of the west can be used against him with lethal results.