Ibrahim Traoré has achieved something remarkable at his age: at 37, he became Africa’s youngest head of state.
Many regard him as a symbol of African independence, but his lack of success in stopping violence in Burkina Faso is becoming more noticeable.
There are people who describe Traoré as a champion for Africa’s youth, but others see him as a leader who uses strong anti-Western speech to cover up repression.
The junta leader from Burkina Faso recently attended the anniversary in Moscow of Nazi Germany’s fall and used the occasion to talk passionately about African unity and freeing African minds.
His statements were spread by Russian state channels, coinciding with news of hundreds of Burkinabè people being killed during attacks by authorities and armed jihadists.
A Person Who Addresses the Youth
In September 2022, Traoré took control of the country after leading a coup—the second in Burkina Faso for that year.
He has since attracted huge backing from young Africans inside the continent and overseas. He urged the nation to cut ties with France and instead, unite, manage its resources and have a clear vision.
Awareness among African youth is increasing. Traoré has become a symbol of that way of thinking, said Richard Alandu from Ghana near the Burkinabè border.
In April, his popularity jumped when General Michael Langley of U.S. Africa Command said the group was using its gold reserves wrongly which the junta denied. In Ouagadougou, there were solidarity marches to show how much many people care about him.
Sometimes Partnerships Turn Into Competition
Traoré has made major moves to pull his country out of its old alliances with the West. Burkina Faso, like its military-led neighbours Mali and Niger, has severed ties with ECOWAS and expelled French soldiers.
Rather, they have joined forces with Russia and each other, working on what they term a new age of African self-rule. A central part of the pivot is setting up state-owned companies and aiming to secure mineral wealth, which some support and others are cautious about.
A Gloomy Security Picture
While Traoré had big plans for security, the situation has deteriorated greatly. ACLED states that violence levels have risen sharply.
Last year, more than 7,200 people lost their lives from the drug, much higher than the 2,894 who died the year before he came into power.
The capital is now at risk from militants and more than half of Burkina Faso’s land is said to be out of the government’s control.
Close to 2.1 million are displaced and over 6.5 million people need humanitarian help.
An international security professor from Nigeria’s Baze University said there has been little progress being made on the ground. Much of what we see in the news is little more than smooth propaganda.
The Argument Over Propaganda
Some people believe Traoré’s image has been reinforced by a network backed by pro-Russia media. You can spot his image everywhere on the internet, usually presented as a modern Sankara, after Thomas Sankara, the famous revolutionary from Burkina Faso.
“It is propaganda that still allows Traoré’s ideas to influence people today,” added Babacar Ndiaye, a senior fellow at the Timbuktu Institute in Senegal. Because Africans are frustrated with their chief leaders, it becomes easy for them to blame Western countries.
Rhetoric Alone Is Not Enough?
Not everyone thinks Traoré’s success is only a result of media attention. It has been argued that his popularity is a sign that people are really unhappy with the democracy in Africa, where elections tend to help corrupt officials keep power.
“Traoré is preaching a message of change that speaks to those who are upset by the way democracy is being taken from them,” said Chidi Odinkalu, a professor at Tufts University.
It is unclear if Traoré can use his popularity to create lasting improvements. At present, he symbolizes the hope for major change in the region and also the uncertainty about its future.