Burkina Faso Opens Mausoleum In Honor of Revolutionary Leader Thomas Sankara

Source: Africa Publicity

A mausoleum, designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Francis Kèrè, has been opened in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, in honor and memory of the country’s late revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara.

Sankara, the father of Burkina Faso’s 1983 Revolution and his 12 aids were assassinated on 15 October 1987 by troops led by now former President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, who assumed leadership of the state shortly after having Sankara killed. A week before his assassination, Sankara declared: “While revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, you cannot kill ideas”.

And his (Sankara’s) mausoleum which was recently opened, stands on the site of the Conseil de I’Entente. With descending steps representing Sankara and his 12 murdered aids, the mausoleum is over 70 meters high and it is designed in the shape of an eye.

The mausoleum is a tribute to the revolution’s triumph over imperialism.

Civil Society Activist, Serge Bayala Imotep, says: “This mausoleum represents the revolution’s victory over reactionary forces, the triumph of Thomas Sankara’s ideology that was sovereignty-driven over imperialism’s enslaving ambitions. It’s a victory for oppressed peoples against their oppressors. A triumph of the colonized over the colonizers.”

Built with bricks made of laterite blocks, the memorial is environmentally friendly, representing some of Sankara’s own vision: championing the use of local resources for Burkina Faso’s sustainable development.

Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister indicated that it’s more than a building but also a space for collective awakening.

“This is a site for the collective consciousness of Burkinabè, of freedom fighters, and of all those who cherish peace and social justice, and of  the sacrifice made by President Thomas Sankara and his aides. This mausoleum also bears witness to a persecuted but enduring integrity.” Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, noted.

The site also includes a restaurant, media library, workshops and offices, all linked by a leafy promenade. The space aims to educate, bring people together and provide a contemplative environment to reflect on Sankara’s principles of justice and social equity.