History of Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in the heart of West Africa, possesses a history that is as vibrant as it is tumultuous. From the ancient migration of warriors and the rise of powerful medieval kingdoms to the radical socialist experiments of the 1980s and the modern struggle against jihadist insurgency, the story of the “Land of Incorruptible People” is a testament to resilience and a quest for self-determination.
Ancient Roots and the Rise of the Mossi Kingdoms
Long before it was known as Burkina Faso or even Upper Volta, the region was home to diverse hunter-gatherer societies. Archaeological evidence suggests human habitation dating back to 14,000 BC. By the first millennium AD, the Iron Age Bura culture thrived in the southeast, leaving behind sophisticated pottery and metalwork.
However, the defining era of pre-colonial history began between the 11th and 13th centuries with the arrival of the Mossi people. According to oral tradition, the Mossi dynasties were founded by the legendary Princess Yennenga, a warrior from the Dagomba kingdom (modern-day Ghana). Her son, Ouédraogo, founded the first Mossi kingdom, Tenkodogo.
Over the centuries, the Mossi established several powerful, centralized states:
-
- Ouagadougou: The most dominant kingdom, led by the Mogho Naaba.
-
- Yatenga: A northern rival known for its military prowess.
-
- Tenkodogo: The ancestral heart of the Mossi.
These kingdoms were remarkably stable, governed by a sophisticated hierarchical system that balanced the power of the king with local chiefs. For centuries, they successfully resisted the expansion of the great Islamic empires to the north, such as the Mali and Songhai Empires, maintaining their traditional animist beliefs and social structures.
The Colonial Shadow: French Upper Volta
The 19th-century “Scramble for Africa” eventually reached the Mossi heartland. Despite fierce resistance from leaders like Mogho Naaba Wobgo, French forces captured Ouagadougou in 1896. By 1898, the territory was officially a French protectorate.
The colonial era was a period of profound disruption. In 1919, the French established the colony of Upper Volta (Haute-Volta), named for the three rivers (Black, White, and Red Volta) that traverse it. However, the colony’s existence was fragile:
-
- Dismemberment (1932): To save administrative costs and provide labor for plantations in Ivory Coast, the French dissolved Upper Volta and partitioned its land among neighboring colonies.
-
- Reconstitution (1947): Persistent lobbying by the Mossi elite, who feared the loss of their cultural identity, forced France to restore the colony to its original borders.
During this time, the region was treated primarily as a “labor reservoir.” Thousands of Burkinabé were conscripted into the French military during World War I and World War II or forced to work on colonial infrastructure projects and coastal plantations.
Independence and the Cycle of Coups (1960–1983)
Burkina Faso gained full independence on August 5, 1960, with Maurice Yaméogo as its first president. The euphoria of freedom was short-lived. Yaméogo’s move toward a one-party state and his severe austerity measures led to a massive general strike and a military coup in 1966.
This set a pattern that would define the next two decades. The country cycled through various military and quasi-civilian governments led by figures like Sangoulé Lamizana, Saye Zerbo, and Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo. Each regime struggled with a stagnating economy, frequent droughts in the Sahel, and a powerful trade union movement that refused to be silenced.
The Revolution of Thomas Sankara (1983–1987)On August 4, 1983, a coup led by the charismatic young Captain Thomas Sankara fundamentally transformed the nation. Sankara was a Marxist-Leninist and Pan-Africanist who sought to break the country’s dependence on foreign aid and colonial structures.
His impact was monumental:
-
- National Identity: In 1984, he renamed the country Burkina Faso, combining Mooré and Dioula words to mean “The Land of Incorruptible People.” * Public Health: He launched a “Battle for Health,” vaccinating 2.5 million children in just 15 days.
-
- Environment: To combat the desertification of the Sahel, his government oversaw the planting of over 10 million trees.
-
- Women’s Rights: He outlawed female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and polygamy, and was among the first African leaders to appoint women to high cabinet positions.
Sankara’s rejection of the IMF and his “upright” lifestyle—he famously drove a small Renault 5 and slashed the salaries of government officials—made him a hero to the poor. However, his authoritarian leanings and suppression of unions created internal friction. On October 15, 1987, Sankara was assassinated in a coup led by his former friend, Blaise Compaoré.
The Era of Compaoré and the Popular Uprising
Blaise Compaoré took power under a policy of “Rectification,” undoing many of Sankara’s radical socialist reforms. He would rule Burkina Faso for the next 27 years.
While Compaoré brought a degree of stability and acted as a regional power broker, his regime was dogged by allegations of corruption and human rights abuses, most notably the 1998 murder of journalist Norbert Zongo. When Compaoré attempted to amend the constitution in 2014 to extend his rule, the people of Burkina Faso rose up. Massive street protests, including the burning of the National Assembly, forced him to flee the country.
Contemporary Challenges (2015–Present)
The post-2014 era has been marked by a fragile democratic transition and a worsening security crisis. In 2015, the country held its first free elections, won by Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
However, since 2016, Burkina Faso has become a primary target for Islamist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The conflict has displaced millions and claimed thousands of lives. Public frustration over the government’s inability to stop the violence led to two military coups in 2022:
-
- January 2022: Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew Kaboré.
-
- September 2022: Captain Ibrahim Traoré overthrew Damiba, citing the continued failure to secure the nation.
oday, Burkina Faso stands at a critical juncture. The military junta has pivoted away from traditional Western allies like France, seeking new partnerships (including with Russia) to combat the insurgency.33 The nation remains a symbol of the Sahel’s struggle: a place where a proud history of “upright people” meets the harsh realities of modern geopolitics and environmental change.
| Period | Key Leadership/Event | Significance |
| 11th–19th C. | Mossi Kingdoms | Century-long stability and resistance to external empires. |
| 1896–1960 | French Colonialism | Transition from Mossi rule to “Upper Volta”; labor exploitation. |
| 1983–1987 | Thomas Sankara | Radical social reform, renaming the country, Pan-Africanism. |
| 1987–2014 | Blaise Compaoré | Long-term semi-authoritarian stability and eventual popular ouster. |
| 2015–Present | Insurgency & Coups | Rise of jihadist violence and return to military governance. |
Visit: www.dkbtech.com and www.allcircular.com