Today is Republic Day in Burkina Faso. This holiday commemorates the establishment of the Republic of Upper Volta on this day in 1958. The Republic of Upper Volta (French: République de Haute-Volta) was established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community. The name Upper Volta related to the nation’s location along the upper reaches of the Volta River. The river’s three tributaries are called the Black, White and Red Volta. These were expressed in the three colors of the former national flag.
Since it gained its independence, the country was subject to instability, droughts, famines and corruption. Various coups have also taken place in the country, in 1966, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, and twice in 2022, in January and in September, as well as an attempt in 1989 and another in 2015.
Thomas Sankara came to power following a successful coup in 1982. As president, Sankara embarked on a series of ambitious socioeconomic reforms which included a nationwide literacy campaign, land redistribution to peasants, providing vaccinations to over 2 million children, railway and road construction, equalized access to education, and the outlawing of female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and polygamy.
He renamed the country from the French colonial name Upper Volta to Burkina Faso (‘Land of Incorruptible People’), with its people being called Burkinabé (‘upright people’). His foreign policies were centered on anti-imperialism and he rejected aid from organizations such as the International Monetary Fund. Sankara welcomed foreign aid from other sources but tried to reduce reliance on aid by boosting domestic revenues and diversifying the sources of assistance.
He was, of course, assassinated in 1987, probably with the connivance of Western powers who saw him being a bit too independent.
Today is the birthday, in 1954, of Jermaine Jackson, from American family music group The Jackson 5. They were the first group to debut with four consecutive No.1 hits on the Hot 100 with the songs ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’, and ‘I’ll Be There’. And with The Jacksons, had the 1979 hit ‘Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2bVIBwpCTA
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