Ibrahim Traoré: The Heart and Truth of Africa
For as long as international telecommunication predates, major public media sites such as CNN, CBS, BBC, FOX News, ABC News, New York Times, and other Western corporations have fabricated the reality of Africa. To build altered, filtered narratives that portray African countries and people as helpless, uncivilized, dependent on aid from foreign affairs, from rates of poverty to unemployment to famine. In fact, Africa is one of the richest countries in natural resources but is constantly stripped from those resources due to years of European imperialism and neocolonialism. As of today, Burkina Faso’s pan-Africanist president and military captain, Ibrahim Traoré, has set his hand down to take a stand against this modern-day imperialism. Then again, he has taken a far different political and economic approach compared to those who were in his place before him.
Who is Ibrahim Traoré?
Ibrahim Traore was born in Burkina Faso on March 14, 1988. Most of his childhood was centered around telecasted depictions of widespread struggle in Africa, which, like many of his race, made him feel disconnected and ashamed of who he is. As he went to school, he did further research on the history of Africa, slowly but progressively revealing the truth. He graduated from secondary school in 2006 and enrolled in University of Ouagadougou, graduating with an honors program. Traoré majored in geological studies. He also involved himself in student activist organizations revolving Muslim ideology while attending the university. By 2009, he joined a military known as the Burkinabe army. From there, he worked in a variety of anti-terrorist organizations, including his involvement as lieutenant in the Mali War of 2014. By September 2022, he initiated and led the Burkinabe military coup to overthrow the government under former President Sandaogo Damiba. He became the president of Africa we now know today and is admired by the new generation of African and Caribbean descendants.
How does Traoré’s Impact on Africa Differ from previous Leaders?
The previous leaders of Africa were known to have been putting self-interest above the people’s needs while being in control of foreign imperialist and neocolonialist leaders in the West by negotiating agreement contracts. President Traoré has a far opposite approach, that is serving the interests and needs of the local African people. What makes Traore stand out to African youth today? He exposed the political and economic strategies used by long-standing companies, governments, and telecommunications media. He revealed the truth about how these broadcasters and other businesses go about limiting the media to match their overall worldview of African and Caribbean people. He revealed how CEOs, newscast directors, and other authoritative figures force those who oppose their worldview to keep silent of the truth to appeal to the public or risk unemployment, allegations by law, imprisonment, or other law-driven tactics. His research, authenticity, and self-reliance had made a significant impact on the worldviews of the African people as he had opened their eyes to a new meaning of what it means to be united as one.