Why did Burkina’s Junta leader catch hearts and minds around the world

The charismatic 37-year-old, the military ruler of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Trare, has cleverly built a person of an African leader, determined to release his nation from what he considers to be the paws of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism.

His message resonates all over Africa and beyond, with his fans seeing him as next in the footsteps of the African heroes such as Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, a Marxist revolutionary, who is sometimes called “Che Guevara in Africa.”

“The impact of Traoré is huge. I have even heard politicians and authors in countries like Kenya (in East Africa) say,” That’s all. He is the man, “said Beverly Poshung, a senior researcher at Risks Control Control Control Control Risks.

“His messages reflect the age we live in when many Africans question the relationship with the West and why there is still so much poverty in such a rich continent,” she said.

After seizing power in a coup in 2022, the Traore regime abandoned the former colonial power France in favor of a strong union with Russia, which included the deployment of a Russian paramilitary brigade and accepted the left -wing of the economy.

This includes the creation of a state -owned mining company that requires foreign companies to give it a 15% share in their local operations and transfer the skills to the people of Burinab.

The rule also applies to the Russian miner Nordgoldwhich is licensed at the end of April for his latest investment in the gold industry of Burkina Faso.

As part of what Traore calls a “revolution” to ensure that Burkina Faso takes advantage of her mineral wealth, the junta also builds a golden refinery and creates national gold reserves for the first time in the history of the nation.

However the companies owned by the West After the withdrawal of a survey licenseS

The junta also nationalized two gold mines, previously owned by a company listed in London, and last month said it plans to take control of more mines than foreign owners.

Enoch Randy Aikins, a researcher at the South Africa Security Institute, told the BBC that Traoré’s radical reforms have increased its popularity in Africa.

“He may now be the most popular, if not a loved one, the president,” said Aikins.

His popularity is fueled through social media, including many misleading publications designed to enhance his revolutionary image.

AI generated videos of music stars such as R KELLY, RIHANNA, Justin Bieber and Beyonce see themselves to assure him through a song – although they have not done anything of that kind.

Mrs. Ochieng said Traoré first caught the attention of Africans when he spoke at the Russian-Africa summit in 2023, telling African leaders to “stop behaving like puppets every time the imperialists pull the strings.”

This speech was highly advertised by the Russian media, which has become a major player in promoting the African image of Traoré.

Thanks to its rhetoric and pushed out of a smooth campaign on social media, its appeal has spread around the world, including among African-Americans and Black Britons, Mrs. Ochieng noted.

“Everyone who has Experienced Racism, Colonialism and Slavery Can Relate To His Messages,” MS Ochieng Said, Pointing Out That African-African Rapper Meek Mill Had Posted How Much He liked His “Energy and Heart” – Though He Was Ridiculed for Mixing Up Names by Referring to Traoré as Burkina Faso and Later Deleted The Post.

But the President of France is not a fan, describing Traore as part of the “Baroque Union between the self-proclaimed Pan-Africans and the Neo-Emperistists.”

Emanuel Macron also refers to Russia and China, who accused, In speech in 2023to provoke coup in former French colonies in Africa and hypocritically moving old arguments for sovereignty and colonial operation.

The popularity of Trare comes despite the fact that he has failed to fulfill his promise to suppress a 10-year-old Islamist rebellion that has nourished ethnic divisions and has now spread to ever-loan neighbors like Benin.

His junta has also broken up on disagreement, including opposition, media and civil society and punished critics, including medical and magistrates by sending them to front lines of war against jihadistsS

About the Rinaldo Depagne, the Deputy Director of Africa of the International Crisis Group Think -Tank, Traoré commands such support because “it is young in a country with a young population” – – The average age is 17.7 yearsS

“He is media and uses the past to build his popularity as a Sankara rebirth,” he told the BBC.

“And he knows the art of politics – how to make a nation completely traumatized by the war they think there is a better future. He is really good at this game.”

Sankara rose to power at a coup in 1983 at the age of 33, gathered the nation under the motto “Fatherland or Death, we would win!”, And was killed four years later in another coup that put Burkina Faso back into the political orbit of France until the seizure of Torore’s power.

Ghana Security Analyst Prof. Kweey Aning, who previously worked at the International Center for Peace Training in Kofi Anan, said the popularity of the military leader reflects the political change of the continent, especially in West Africa.

A survey of 2024 in 39 Afrobarometer countries showed a decline in support for democracyAlthough the most popular form of government remains.

“Democracy failed to give hope to young people. She did not provide work or better education and health,” Prof. Aning told the BBC.

He said Traoré “offers an alternative and redirects the spirit of two historical eras”:

It was Traiore who stole the show At the inauguration of Ghana President John Mahama in January, when he arrived with a fighter tired with a gun in his holster.

“There were already 21 heads of state, but when Traore came in, the place ignited. Even my president’s bodyguards were running after him,” said Prof. Aning.

Traoré has offered a sharply contrasting image to some of the other continent leaders who struggled to walk but clung to power by seasoning, he said.

“Traoré is stylish and confident, with a very open face and a small smile. He is also a powerful speaker and presents himself as a person to the people.”

As a sign that his Russian Junta has made some progress on the Economic Front, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have made an extensive valuation.

In a statement in early AprilThe IMF said that despite the “challenging environment of humanitarian and security”, the economy is expected to remain “healthy” in 2025 and the regime has made “praise progress” in raising internal revenue containing the bill on the public wage and the increase in costs of education, health and social protection.

As for the World Bank, she said inflation has grown From 0.7% in 2023 to 4.2% in 2024, but the extreme poverty degree, which refers to people living at less than $ 2.15 ($ 1.61) a day, decreased by almost two percentage points to 24.9% due to the “stable growth” in the agricultural and service sectors.

Despite these reports from US -based financial institutions, relations with both France and America were frosty.

A recent example is the statement of US Africa Command leader, Gen. Michael Langley, which Traoré uses Burkina’s gold reserves to protect his junta rather than the benefit of the nationS

This seems to be a reference to the long -standing opinion of the United States and some of its African allies that the Russian forces are pushing Traore in exchange for a stake in the gold industry of Burkina Faso – undermining the image of the military ruler as a leader who expelled the French troops in 2023 to restore the country’s sovereignty.

Gen Langley’s comments made in early April during the hearing of the US Senate Committee caused confusion among the captain’s supporters, who believe their character was smeared.

This was further sore when shortly after, said Burkinabe Junta had stripped a coup plotHe claims that the conspirators are based on the adjacent elephant coast – where Gen Langley then made a visit.

Cott D’Ivoire denied to participate in any plot while US Africa Command said Gen Langley’s visit focused on addressing “common security challenges” – including” violent extremism “.

But the junta took advantage of the opportunity to organize one of its biggest rallies in the capital of Burkina Faso because of the fears that the “imperialists” and their “lackeys” are trying to deposit the captain.

“As Colin Powell lied, Iraq was destroyed. Barack Obama lied, Gaddafi was killed. But this time their lies would not affect us,” a protester, a musician Okly Johan, told Associated Nen Agency.

Solidarity rallies with Traoré were also held abroad, including London, the same day.

He then entered the social media, Publication in French and EnglishTo express our gratitude to them for sharing their vision “For Nova Burkina Faso and New Africa”, adding: “Together, in solidarity, we will defeat imperialism and neo -colonialism for free, credible and sovereign Africa.”

It is impossible to say how things will do things for the young captain, but he – along with military leaders in Mali and Niger – certainly shook West Africa, and other countries have followed their example, ordering the French forces to leave.

The three military neighbors also withdrawn from the Ecowas Regional Trade and Security Group, formed their own union and ended free trade in the region, announcing a 0.5% tariff for goods entering their countries.

Aikins said that Traore could learn from others, pointing out that when Rollings took power in Ghana at the age of 32, he was known as “Junior Jesus”, but after 19 years he left a mixed heritage -he failed to eliminate corruption, although he helped to create a “durable” democracy.

For a “lasting heritage”, said G -n -n -Aikins, Traoré must focus on achieving peace and building strong state institutions in order to lead to good governance rather than “personalize” power and disagree on disagreement.