Page 47 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 13

Re- Education
Community

thomas sankara

THE UPRIGHT MAN OF Burkina Faso

By PD Lawton, UK.

homas Sankara, a man in Upper Volta in 1983 was little more National Council of the Revolution
his early thirties trans- than a French run labor camp for (CNR).
formed the world`s poor- French run Cote D`Ivoire. This
Test country at that time, region of West Africa was up until Two years later infant mortality
Upper Volta, into a self-sufficient the mid-1800`s part of the ancient had dropped from 280 deaths for
modern thinking nation in just four Mossi Kingdom, and has always every 1000 births to 145, with the
years. This African miracle nation been called `The Land of Upright aid of Cuban volunteers and a mass
remains little known about in the Men`, men of integrity, hence the vaccination program. School atten-
West because its story contradicts name Burkina Faso. Spiritually the dance rose, in two years, from 12%
every negative image that has ever people of this region are of great to 22%. In just the first year of its
been painted of African leadership significance and still to this day prac- implementation, Sankara`s environ-
and African nations. Sankara would tice the world`s most ancient belief. mental program to halt desertifi-
prove to the people of Burkina cation in this Sahel region, over 10
Faso, to other African nations and In the August Revolution, Sanka- million trees were planted. Without
to the colonial powers what could ra and the military overthrew the international aid which was not
be achieved in the blink of an eye CSP (Council for the Salvation of forthcoming from the World Bank
by Africans under African leaders of the People) headed by conserva- with which to improve infrastruc-
integrity. tive Jean-Baptiste Quedraogo and ture, Sankara and the population got
formed a new government of the down and dirty and with their bare

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