Thomas Sankara (1949-1987) was the President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987. With a powerful combination of personal charisma and strong Marxist and Pan-Africanist convictions, his government carried out initiatives against corruption and French imperialism, and he also improved education, health, agriculture and the status of women, nationalizing the land, the mines and public services. His achievements gave him the nickname «Africa’s Che Guevara ». His revolutionary program prompted strong opposition from traditional leaders of the small but powerful middle class, as well as France’s distrust. Those factors led to his downfall and murder in a bloody coup on October 15, 1987.
