By Dawda Baldeh
As Western powers ramp up criticism of Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré—accusing him of exploiting the country’s gold reserves at the expense of its citizens—an Africa-wide movement is emerging in defense of the embattled leader.
Captain Traoré, who rose to power in 2022 through a military coup, is being hailed by supporters as a transformative figure despite surviving multiple assassination attempts. Now, amid growing tensions, the Gambia Action Party (GAP) has joined those calling for his protection.
Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, GAP’s leader, urged African leaders and citizens alike to rally around Traoré in the face of what he described as increasing Western hostility.
“To all the lovers of Africa, and every genuine son and daughter of the soil, this is your call to rise,” Batchilly declared. “Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the youngest president in the world and a true revolutionary in the spirit of Thomas Sankara, is under attack.”
Batchilly argued that Traoré is being targeted by Western powers for championing a vision of Africa free from neocolonial control.
“His only crime,” he said, “is rejecting the chains of Western domination and demanding dignity for his people. For that, he is now in the crosshairs of those same foreign powers that have long orchestrated coups, assassinations, and destabilization across our continent.”
The GAP leader’s remarks come as some Gambians prepare to protest perceived foreign interference in Burkina Faso’s affairs. Batchilly criticized France and the United States for supporting regimes he claims are aligned with foreign interests, while leaders like Traoré face pressure for asserting independence.
“France and America continue to prop up puppet leaders who kneel to foreign interests while their people suffer in poverty and despair. But Traoré is not one of them. He speaks truth to power and dares to chart a new course. That is what makes him a threat to the enemies of African progress.”
He warned that Africans will not idly watch another leader be toppled for defying imperialist agendas.
“We will not stand by as another visionary is silenced or overthrown to appease foreign powers. The time has come for patriots, Pan-Africanists, and freedom fighters to stand united.”
According to Batchilly, defending leaders like Traoré is essential to protecting Africa’s sovereignty. He called on citizens across the continent to show solidarity through peaceful mobilization.
“From Dakar to Dar es Salaam, from Lagos to Lusaka—rise for Traoré. This is not just about Burkina Faso. This is about the future of Africa.”
He also called on institutions including the African Union, ECOWAS, civil society, students, and activists to rally behind Traoré.
“Organize peaceful protests, raise your voices online, and send a clear message: Touch Traoré, and you touch Africa. Harm him, and you awaken the wrath of a billion hearts.”
Batchilly concluded by invoking the legacy of African icons like Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba, and Kwame Nkrumah, saying Traoré stands in their revolutionary tradition.
“Captain Traoré is not alone,” he said. “He is carried by the spirits of those who dreamed of an Africa that governs itself—with pride, purpose, and power.”
