Yesterday I read a
few articles about this great revolutionary, but I felt none had completely
captured the events of his mighty brush with the winds of time. None was too
magnanimous to do justice to the memory of this great pan Africanist. This
article therefore, uses events gleaned out of history, as its linch-pin, and as
is the case with many historical narratives, none, not even this, is audacious
enough to encapsulate all events. Mine is thus just a simple attempt at
sacralising the memory of someone who I feel, sacrificed everything for the
future of Africa. It actually disfigures to write that Thomas Sankara today
lies dead in an unmarked grave in Burkina Faso, a country he once governed.
Many great Africans have died before Sankara, many more
overthrown through coups, others assassinated and even completely forgotten,
maybe their ignominious years of service attracted such treatment, but to do to
Sankara what Burkina Faso and Africa did to him leads me to only one
conclusion; Africa is still under reins, very tight reins. Now, Thomas Sankara
was no ordinary leader. In his most formative years, it is said, he interacted
with the works of Marx and Lenin. He later got military training and quickly
rose through the ranks to become a distinguished military captain. With age,
his political consciousness was aroused and he soon ordained himself to a
Marxist, a Pan Africanist, a revolutionary, no wonder he was often referred to
as Africa’s Che Guevara. Sankara found favor with people and he was later
appointed to a government position.
He would ride a bicycle to work, with his charisma, and
sympathy assuaging principles, he soon found himself in the bad books of
president. He would later be sacked and placed under house arrest after being
accused of obstructing implementation of government policy- as noted by the son
to the then French president Jean – Christophe Mitterrand. A major public
demonstration ensued that day and the government was overthrown of course with
public approval, having been led by his revolutionary comrade-in-arms and best
friend, Blaise compaore. Thomas Sankara was made the president. If there is a
time that Africa has ever proven its mettle in world politics, this was the
time. Here was a young revolutionary president (33 years) with little political
experience, armed only with the principles of Karl Marx and the doctrine of
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, here was a president with a message for Europe.
If anybody says that Karl Marx‘s manifesto was over ambitious tell them they
are wrong. Sankara severed all links with international monetary fund (IMF) and
totally cut off links with Europe arguing that that was a design for
reconquest. He often said that; he, who feeds you, controls you. Sankara
transformed Burkina Faso in every way that a country can be transformed. From
agriculture to industry to education to health, progress was evident.
He instituted
stringent financial measures. He sold off all the fleet of government Mercedes
and bought Renault 5’s (cheapest at that time). The French (former master) had
named that country Upper Volta; Sankara renamed it to Burkina Faso (land of
upright men). Women we empowered by being recruited to the military and getting
appointments to cabinet positions (first African country to do so). There is
this striking narrative that Sankara prohibited his portrait to be hung in
public places claiming that everybody was Thomas Sankara. Sankara had one car
(Renault 5), 4 bikes, 3 guitars, a fridge and a deep freezer. He lived in a
simple brick house. He even refused to use air conditioning in his office
claiming that such a luxury pricked his conscience since it was unaffordable to
a majority of Burkinabes. The west has brought in ideals that hinder
development and governmental progress. Such ideal as free press, human rights
and democracy even in times of turmoil, were all banned by Thomas Sankara.
Europe fights for free and fair elections, but through this, Africans only
manage to elect and replace thugs with thugs, rapacious, power-seekers and
neo-colonial compradors are almost always the winners. When will liberation
come? When will government excesses end? When will the common African become
truly free? So because Sankara fought against imperialism and western
interference, he was extinguished? Sankara was overthrown in a bloody coup by
his best friend Blaise compaore; he was assassinated, dismembered and buried
dishonorably, in an unmarked grave. The cruel cracks of rifle fire silenced the
lion king, the revolutionary who dared to dream, the greatest pan Africanist
who ever lived. The overture of the west was easily discernible in his
assassination because shortly thereafter, the IMF and the World Bank swung into
action, extending their paternalistic tentacles to that part of Africa, once
again. What is most painful is that after his assassination, history books
decided to keep silent. Amongst the Kenyan Marxist writers, only Mukoma Wa
Ngugi in (Thomas Sankara lives) gives Sankara a befitting tribute.
Now, where is our history? Do we have a history of
resilience, of resoluteness and independence? The west tells us no! But Thomas
sankara demonstrated that we didn’t even have to act, we just had to believe. A
week before his assassination, perhaps as a premonition he stated, ‘a
revolutionary as an individual can be murdered, but the idea lives on.’ Through
Sankara we witnessed the African possibility, the Walter Rodney possibility,
the Ali Mazrui possibility. Now the west is deeply entrenched, but like
Sankara, we need to act. Many have chosen to keep silent, perhaps out of fear
or desperation, but I choose to celebrate a true African, the lion king. Even
as my candle flickers and threatens to die, as sleep creeps, I know the upright
man lives. Arise Africa! Thomas Sankara lives!
Otieno Sikuri 'Last Philosopher' is a leading youthful commentator on topical issues and a student of literature.
