By On April 19, 2025, user @General_Somto made a striking X post. It brought attention to a protest in France by Burkina Faso citizens. They called for their president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to step down. The image accompanying the post showed demonstrators holding signs. One sign read “Ibrahim Cerveau Vide Traoré.” It was a pointed critique of the 37-year-old leader.
The post garnered significant engagement. It framed the protests as a product of Western “divide and rule” tactics. This narrative resonates with historical analyses of Africa’s political struggles. But what lies beneath this demonstration, and what does it reveal about Burkina Faso’s current trajectory under Traoré’s leadership?
Traoré: A Revolutionary Icon or Authoritarian Leader?
Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, is Africa’s youngest head of state. Traoré is often compared to Burkina Faso’s revolutionary icon Thomas Sankara. Sankara is sometimes dubbed “Africa’s Che Guevara.” Traoré has positioned himself as a champion of pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism. A 2025 article from The Economist described him as a “retro revolutionary.”
It noted his ambition to make Burkina Faso a “Third World vanguard” on the global stage. Under his leadership, Burkina Faso has shifted from its historical ties with France, a former colonial power. The country is now forging alliances with Russia. It also partners with neighboring Sahel states like Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This organization formed in 2023 as a mutual defense pact.
Traoré’s tenure, however, has been far from smooth. In 2024, he extended his mandate until 2029. This followed a national conference. Critics argue that this move consolidates his grip on power. Burkina Faso continues to grapple with devastating jihadist attacks, which have destabilized the country and displaced millions. A 2024 Semafor report highlighted Traoré’s hardline response.
This included the arrest of military personnel suspected of collaborating with terrorists. This action was aimed at rooting out internal threats. However, it has fueled accusations of authoritarianism. Just a day before the protests in France, @General_Somto shared another post about an attack on Burkina Faso. The post suggested that external forces are actively trying to destabilize Traoré’s regime.
Protests in France: A Genuine Grievance or Western Manipulation?
The protests in France, as depicted in the X post, reveal a growing divide among Burkina Faso’s diaspora. Demonstrators accused Traoré of mismanagement. Some replies to the post alleged that the protests were orchestrated by France itself. One such reply, from @MichaelOne3333, stated this accusation. “Those people were paid by France to assemble and stage a protest,” the user wrote.
This reflects a sentiment shared by others. They see Western powers as unwilling to relinquish influence over Africa. Another user, @chuxenyi, cryptically commented, “Hand of Esau but voice of Jacob,” implying hidden agendas behind the public dissent.
The “divide and rule” narrative pushed by @General_Somto echoes a long-standing critique of Western involvement in Africa. Historically, European colonial powers carved up the continent. This was detailed in Henk Wesseling’s Divide and Rule: The Partition of Africa, 1880–1914. They did so with little regard for ethnic or cultural boundaries. This created lasting divisions that persist today.
In January 2025, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They also exited from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). These actions signal a broader rejection of Western-aligned frameworks. Instead, they favor regional unity under the AES. Yet, the protests in France suggest that not all Burkinabé support this shift. This raises questions about whether the dissent is organic or externally fueled.
Historical Context: Africa’s Underdevelopment and Political Fragmentation
To understand the protests, it’s worth examining the deeper historical roots of Africa’s political challenges. A study by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) argues that Africa’s underdevelopment has multiple causes. It is not solely a product of colonial exploitation. Pre-colonial political structures also contributed to this issue.
The trans-Atlantic slave trade saw the largest numbers of slaves taken from politically underdeveloped regions. It fostered ethnic fractionalization and weakened state institutions. This legacy continues to hinder effective governance in countries like Burkina Faso. Colonial “divide and rule” tactics made these issues worse. However, the CEPR study suggests that internal factors played a significant role in shaping Africa’s modern struggles.
This historical lens complicates the narrative of Western interference in Burkina Faso today. Traoré’s critics in France may be voicing legitimate grievances. These grievances include frustration over ongoing insecurity or economic hardship. However, their location in a former colonial power raises suspicions of external influence. Replies to @General_Somto’s post reveal a broader frustration with internal divisions.
Comments such as @softestme’s, “Black man with daft brains,” show this vulnerability to manipulation. Additionally, @yaboychino421’s assertion, “Blacks are their own enemies,” highlights this issue.
Traoré’s Path Forward: A Referendum or Continued Resistance?
The protests in France, though small in scale, highlight the challenges Traoré faces in unifying Burkina Faso under his vision. One suggestion from the X thread was by user @collins8466. This user proposed that Traoré conduct a referendum to gauge public support. This action is a democratic gesture. It could either legitimize his leadership or expose its fragility.
However, given Traoré’s recent actions, such as extending his mandate and cracking down on dissent, a referendum seems unlikely. Instead, his government has doubled down on its anti-Western stance, strengthening ties with Russia (including military assistance from the Wagner Group) and issuing new AES passports to symbolize the break from ECOWAS.
The broader geopolitical context adds another layer of complexity. Burkina Faso’s alignment with Mali and Niger in the AES has created a “Coup Belt” of military juntas, all of which have rejected Western influence in favor of regional sovereignty. Yet, as @General_Somto’s earlier post about an attack on Burkina Faso suggests, this shift has come at a cost, with external forces—potentially backed by Western interests—seemingly intent on destabilizing Traoré’s regime.
Conclusion: A Continent at a Crossroads
The protests against Ibrahim Traoré in France, as highlighted by @General_Somto’s X post, encapsulate the broader tensions facing Burkina Faso and the African continent. Traoré’s leadership, while inspiring to some for its defiance of Western dominance, has alienated others who see his methods as authoritarian and his results as insufficient. The “divide and rule” narrative, while rooted in historical truth, risks oversimplifying the internal dynamics driving dissent among Burkinabé citizens.
As Burkina Faso navigates this turbulent period, the protests in France serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between sovereignty and unity. Whether Traoré can weather these challenges—both from within and without—remains to be seen. For now, his story, and that of Burkina Faso, continues to reflect the broader struggle for Africa’s future: a future that must reckon with its historical scars while forging a path toward true independence.
