Burkina Faso has officially opened a towering new mausoleum in honour of Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader assassinated in 1987, alongside 12 of his aides. Designed by renowned architect and Pritzker Prize laureate Francis Kéré, the monument is a striking architectural tribute to the ideals of self-determination, justice and resistance to imperialism.
Standing over 70 meters high at the historic Conseil de l’Entente site in the capital, Ouagadougou, the structure is shaped like an eye, with descending steps symbolizing the 13 martyrs. Built using locally sourced laterite blocks, the mausoleum reflects Sankara’s enduring commitment to environmental sustainability and national self-reliance.
“This mausoleum represents the revolution’s victory over reactionary forces, the triumph of Thomas Sankara’s ideology that was sovereignty-driven over imperialism’s enslaving ambitions,” said civil society activist Serge Bayala Imotep during the inauguration. “It’s a victory for oppressed peoples against their oppressors. A triumph of the colonized over the colonizers.”
Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo described the site as more than just a building, calling it a space for “collective consciousness” and a living symbol of integrity and resistance.
“This is a site for the collective consciousness of Burkinabè, of freedom fighters, and of all those who cherish peace and social justice,” Ouédraogo said. “This mausoleum also bears witness to a persecuted but enduring integrity.”
The memorial complex features more than just a tomb. It includes a media library, restaurant, workshops, offices and a leafy promenade — all designed to serve as a cultural and educational hub where visitors can engage with Sankara’s legacy and values.
Thomas Sankara, who came to power in 1983 and was often dubbed “Africa’s Che Guevara,” remains a revered figure for many across the continent. His assassination, widely believed to have been orchestrated by political rivals, cut short a revolutionary movement rooted in anti-corruption, Pan-Africanism, and grassroots development.
