IS IBRAHIM TRAORÉ NEXT? THE RESOURCE WAR IN BURKINA FASO HEATS UP

(ReggaeVibeMedia.com) – A new wave of Pan-African resistance is rising out of Burkina Faso, led by 36-year-old Captain Ibrahim Traoré—Africa’s youngest current head of state. Since coming to power in a 2022 coup that overthrew the previous military leader, Traoré has sparked international debate by boldly pushing back against Western influence, particularly France and the United States. In a time when global powers are scrambling for resources, many are asking the same burning question: is Traoré next in line to be silenced?

It’s a question rooted in painful African history. Many recall the fate of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, whose dream of a “United States of Africa” and attempt to free African economies from the U.S. dollar through a gold-backed dinar were cut short in 2011. That same year, Western military intervention ended his life—and arguably, the momentum of African self-determination.

Now, with Burkina Faso severing ties with France, booting out U.N. forces, and strengthening military alliances with Russia and China, history may be echoing itself. Traoré has made no secret of his intentions: to reclaim national sovereignty, protect natural resources, and ensure African wealth benefits Africans.

But what makes Burkina Faso such a high-stakes target? The answer lies beneath the soil.

Despite being one of the world’s poorest nations economically, Burkina Faso is rich in untapped wealth. The country is Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer. It also has deposits of manganese, zinc, copper, limestone, marble, phosphates, and possibly even uranium—resources that have historically made African nations victims rather than victors on the world stage.

It’s no coincidence that the Sahel region, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, has been rocked by a string of coups and conflicts in recent years. These nations have begun rejecting Western military presence and neo-colonial economics. In response, they’ve faced economic sanctions, international condemnation, and the looming threat of foreign-backed destabilization.

To many observers, the coup in Burkina Faso was never just about internal politics. It was a bold chess move in the global resource game. And with Russia and China now stepping in to fill the vacuum left by Western withdrawal, the stakes are rising fast.

Traoré’s popularity is surging across Africa, especially among youth and Pan-Africanists who see in him a reflection of leaders like Thomas Sankara—a revolutionary icon who also led Burkina Faso before being assassinated in 1987. The irony? Sankara was murdered in a French-backed coup led by his once-trusted ally Blaise Compaoré.

So the question remains: will Traoré rise to build a self-sufficient Burkina Faso, or will they “kill him before he grows”, just as Bob Marley once warned?

Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: what’s happening in Burkina Faso is not just a local conflict—it’s a geopolitical battle over the soul, sovereignty, and future of Africa.