A thousand Sankaras come of age

burkina

An opposition demonstrator with poster bearing image of Thomas Sankara in the stadium of Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaoré announced his resignation Oct. 31, after protesters continued to mobilize against his rule. He had ruled since 1987, when Compaoré overthrew leftist leader Thomas Sankara—and quickly moved to reverse his legacy. In an August piece for Think Africa Press, writer Brian Peterson accurately predicted that "Sankara's ghost may be coming back to return the favor."

Photo: Chris Simpson/IRIN

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