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All the African leaders who try to effect change eventually find boot hill.
[…] The Thomas Sankara Philosophy: Revolution, Betrayal, Learnings […]
great ideas ! but it is a pity he resorted to dictatorial ideologies to implemented further change which weakened his hand turning some of his best and trusted friends against him and which gave strength to his enemies,
[…] By David […]
David
You are to be thanked for your posts on African issues. This is a big thing in a country which has always been the bastion of African denialism.
Do you happen to think that African peoples yearning for transformation, not only on the continent but elsewhere, is an accident of history, incapable of transcending the immutable force of White supremacy, hobbled by externally controlled internal forces ………….?
@Pacha
Thanks but you also have to thank others who serve to remind BU about the priority issues.
In the case of Sankara and the revolution in Burkino Faso it is clear he was allowed to do his thing until France thought enought!
@ David
Excellent post.
Here is an example of great leadership of biblical proportions by a young black man. Her is a real contemporary hero with whom ordinary Bajans should be able to identify…
…so why is this not a well documented part of our history lessons?
why is Sir Cave Hilary building a Mandela Park and not a Sankara Park…?
@Bush Tea
Yes it is an excellent case study about what is required to forced significant change. Onlookers (borrowed from your friend Dictionary) will focus on the demise of Sankara but it is a process …
Yes he capitalize for making change with excellent ideas however having to ruled with an iron fist helped in the toppling of his demise an avenue which he was most vulnerable and one which he expected would have been instrumental in his death, there are plenty lessons to be learned here about change and how it can be helpful and detrimental all at the same time.if left unfettered
In finer points of Revolution should we blame Whites or All World Leaders
Whites wanted to set up Farms in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Americas and
killed indigenous natives and shipped in black slaves or used natives
Why should we suffer in the land of our birth
For a long time struggling
and a short time suffering
Babylon own the den
to mash up me residence
Babylon own the rent
Me gone farming
Farmer in the den
@Bush Tea
Three learnings we can borrow 1). His frenetic work ethic something Stuart will struggle to emulate 2) not afraid to commit to a vision though unpopular at first and 3) using the power of speech to communicate and energize.
the real story of blacks must be told from its origins .,cherry picking does no good, people seeks truth through knowledge .knowledge is a composition of “ALL THINGS’ i saw the video was impressed by the Young mans ability to want change and meaningful change much of which he got ABSOLUTELY right, however felt a bit let down when he used tactics accordance with human rights violations to further
One of the highlights of the story portrayed in the video is when he was able to mobilize his people to build a train track with their damn hands for the most part because they lacked the resources. The people bought into the ideal, the fact the revolution petered out has to be attributed to other factors we can learn from. Managing a evolution in a country which lacked governance structure is a serious business and takes extraordinary courage. The fact he died with little in the way of material positions sets him a part and defines what those who enter public life should be focused on, serving the people.
again absolutely true. but the moral of the story is about making a change that is sustainable ,, His legacy is one to be studied his courage is undeniable ,, but in the end those things which he fought for was unsustainable . and with all of his accomplishments., people need to be part of his dynasty was partitioned by his need to dictate,a case of starting out right and ending up wrong
Here is another learning, what is stopping the directorate of Barbados to order uniforms to be worn by public servants? Given our vaunted social partnership private sector companies might be pursuaded to as well. Wouldn’t this go a long way to fueling a domestic garment manufacturing industry? Once demand is established we could look at how to weave cloth and or grow the raw material. Why focus on garment manufacturing, other products come into play. Many learnings to be had from the Sankara story.
No other Black leader throughout human history has been able to aroused the collective-consciousness of the Black race like Marcus Garvey has. But Garvey was Supreme -Egotist, ( which meant, it’s my way or the highway baby) and this flaw in his makeup ultimately, led to his demised. Garvey, was begrudged by the Black leaders of his day, and was even labeled the number one threat to the National Security of America because of his cunning ability to unify the Black race. His, influenced stretched from the Caribbean, America, Great Britain and throughout the Africa continent.
@ David
Like Dipper started to do with shirt Jacs and the garment industry?
The real truth is that people with the kind of vision and BALLS that he displayed are not born every day. A country is BLESSED when one comes along.
Unfortunately, yard fowls, like the Internet are everywhere….even among us… 🙂
Bushie still thinks that the WISE national approach is to establish some kind of SYSTEM that seeks to identify such leadership talent at an early stage, and then to hone the cream of the crop to become national leaders ….whether they were so inclined or otherwise.
Unfortunately, such leaders tend to be creative, troublesome, disruptive and dynamic…the kind of persons that REALLY piss off our effeminate teachers in Barbados, so they tend to put them out of the class or just ignore the rebels…who then end up on the block and working on ZRs..
..the compliant lackies, yardfowls and pooch lickers all end up with degrees …usually in Law and Sociology and F&$#@&g up the country – as politicians, Lawyers and BU bloggers….
….so we have no hope…. unless Caswell, BAFBFP’s Anti-American friend, BU David, Pat, Simple Simon and a few more rebels get together and BUP…. 🙂
No other Black leader throughout human history has been able to aroused the collective-consciousness of the Black race like Marcus Garvey has
+++++++++++++++++
A little learning is a dangerous thing indeed……
Tek care THAT don’t lead to your ‘demised’.
If you only knew…….
“Until France said enough”…..David that is a very simplistic statement. You can’t have vision and not make enemies – and they aren’t all white for God’s sake. Is that the best BU intellects can come up with?
It is undeniable that he was trying to improve the lot of his people but he seemed to suffer from one of the main failings of other African leaders – too much personal control and power.
Why was it necessary to ban opposition parties, ban unions, do away with the free press, ban the right to strike, dictate what civilian servants wore, abolish the right of innocence until proven guilty and a right to a defence.
Do those things really have to be a casualty of “progress”?
Shots heard at Burkina Faso state TV
It’s becoming an Army Vs. Protestors
People Vs. Army battle for Government
LOL @ Ross
….and they aren’t all white for God’s sake
+++++++++++++++++
Not all…..but if you ever heard of the Pareto principle…. you will get the idea.
Sorry fella, but facts can be a big bother sometimes…..
@St.George’s Dragon
You have offered a critique from a place far from the reality of Burkina Faso at that time.
@David
Here is another learning, what is stopping the directorate of Barbados to order uniforms to be worn by public servants?
++++++++++
Yeah bring back the “Bush Jacket” hope no one here takes credit for the name, but could we cool our heels a bit but do we want to burden Civil Servants with the issue of being spotted a mile away and someone remarks disparagingly “here comes one of Freundels flunkies or Mia’s minions? Do we want the higher ups to demand they own colour so they can receive the appropriate acknowledgement?
Will they be colour coded to differentiate between Ministries? I already have a colour picked out for consultants (Green) and how about the next step? Let’s hear it for Groupthink so we won’t waste time agonising over decisions as everyone will be thinking along the same lines.
Yeah the possibilities are endless……
@ St George Dragon
Why was it necessary to ban opposition parties, ban unions, do away with the free press, ban the right to strike, dictate what civilian servants wore, abolish the right of innocence until proven guilty and a right to a defence.
Do those things really have to be a casualty of “progress”?
+++++++++++++++++++
Why?
…because there is only one way to polish a brass bowl….and it takes a measure of force and grit….sometimes even sandpaper.
Evidently you have never had the misfortune to be tasked with trying to convert a hoard of “Domkeys and ACs” to normalcy for their own good….
It is no coincidence that such men are ALWAYS betrayed, not by a sworn enemy or by the people they ‘polished’ …but by insiders that they considered confidants…..Judases
…note that 80% of the ‘polished’ people in the street cried uncontrollably at his death….
Karma, retribution, call it what you want is often described as a bitch.
Spirit of ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’ found in Burkina Faso uprising
In the weeks leading up to President Compaore’s ouster, Burkinabes turned to slain leader Thomas Sankara for inspiration
October 31, 2014 8:30AM ET
OUGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – In the early hours of a night in 1987, one of Africa’s youngest leaders, Thomas Sankara, was murdered and quietly and quickly buried in a shallow grave.
Now, the man widely believed to be behind it, Burkina Faso’s president, has watched as his parliament was set ablaze by furious protesters who want him gone.
Many of the protesters say the history of the slain 1980s leader partly inspired them to rise against Blaise Compaore, who has been in power for 27 years and was trying, by a vote in parliament, for another five.
Though some see Sankara as an autocrat who came to office by the power of the gun, and who ignored basic human rights in pursuit of his ideals, in recent years he has been cited as a revolutionary inspiration not only in Burkina Faso but in other countries across Africa.
In the weeks before the current chaos, Al Jazeera spoke to people in the capital, Ouagadougou, and found many who predicted that Sankara’s memory, and Compaore’s attempt to seek another five-year term, may soon spark an uprising.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/31/burkina-faso-explainer.html
@ David
You have to look at the man as a whole. His heart was in the right place but he abolished certain fundamental democratic rights in the course of trying to achieve his aims.
I don’t accept that it was ok to ban opposition parties and unions in 1983 but it’s not now.
When things like that get done “in the cause of the revolution” it’s time to get worried.
Trust you to sweat the small stuff Sarge 🙂
This is David fault for floating commissioned-officer-level ideas in the NCO’s mess…..
The point is about creating a guaranteed market for local products in an area under your direct and easy control.
It is about building an area of local creativity, manufacture and PRIDE….
LOL
…anyone can spot a public servant in Barbados from miles away already anyway…. no need for colours….
@St.George’s Dragon
We can pick his philosophy to bits and we will always find broken parts, the bigger point though are the takeaways we can use to drive change in our sphere of governance.
@ Dompey | November 2, 2014 at 11:23 AM |
“No other Black leader throughout human history has been able to aroused the collective-consciousness of the Black race like Marcus Garvey has. But Garvey was Supreme -Egotist, ( which meant, it’s my way or the highway baby) and this flaw in his makeup ultimately, led to his demised. Garvey, was begrudged by the Black leaders of his day, and was even labeled the number one threat to the National Security of America because of his cunning ability to unify the Black race. His, influenced stretched from the Caribbean, America, Great Britain and throughout the Africa continent”
How did you arrive at that position? Where is the legacy of Marcus Garvey?
Where is the Black Star Liner today? Not even Jamaica, his country of birth, can be proud of any thing called ‘Garveyism’.
The only thing that unite black people is a false belief in a white god and baby blue-eyes ‘jesus’. Ask Bonke if you doubt me. Why isn’t Bonke in Sierra Leone healing the Ebola sufferers and bringing back the innocent children to life?
Until black people shed the yoke of other people’s religions and recognize the Force of Light as their one and only God that made them “black” in the first instance they will always be hewers of wood and drawers of waters according to the curse of Ham; servants to other races and not owners of capital; always be consumers of other people’s products and not designers and makers.
Africa…a continent of 56 countries(53 main land 3 islands),heavily populated by over a thousand melanin rich tribes,of which places like Nigeria and Ghana,too name but two who are developed in the western sense with the usual disparity between rich and poor.
I am still trying to figure out what relevance this continent as opposed to an area in west Africa has to with us or what is so different between Sankara and Bishop and watching videos instead of doing proper research.
Just wondering aloud on this bright sunny Sunday in Bim,how these things will help solve the myriad of concerns plaguing us.
Those interested in some background here is another view.
Latest revelations on the assassination of Thomas Sankara
The African World is as Big as the European World
It’s like Reggae and Pop Music
http://youtu.be/T4ifFV4xAUE
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/not-selling/#view-comments
leave the older people alone , more lies by Denis Kellman
David
What “takeaways” precisely are you thinking of?
You say St George has rationalized “far from BF at that time”. You were there David? Or – all knowing one – do you simply read like the rest of us?
BT
“Betrayed by confidantes”…you make my point for me.
Oh and don’t forget the Citroen DS importers,
what i am going to say might be a bit radical and hard for others to sallow …but there was a great black leader ! teacher and philosopher and his name is enshrined in many religious books and teachings ,he was a first( to) step out and revolutionize new way and order, taking upon himself to confront the wrongs that were done to his people of the race( Black) in the name of religious laws and doctrines which were meant to hinder and control , yes today the white man has taken this same person and use him as a symbol of self gratification of what they want others to believe, HE left teachings of self- empowerment teaching and preaching a philosophy against bigotry and the removal of religious yokes which weighed down the poor and uneducated people of his time . presenting a philosophy capable of the freeing of his people mind imploring the people to seek truth and ask question and knock to gain knowledge .today this great teacher works clouded in myths and idolatry and with the help of the church and political involvement the simplicity of his message has been torn asunder.THE simplicity of His teachings have been extracted and subtracted to their own philosophy and personnel beliefs having a goal and agenda to brain wash and manipulate the masses effortlessly while discarding or disregarding the truthfulness of his.message
Vincent Haynes
In your quest to ascertain a comprehensive understanding of the African people, you ought to bear this very important fact in mind: the majority of African people do not identifiy themselves with country. The concept of [Tribe] is central to their identity and that is why most countries within Africa today, strugggle with a Social-tribalism which fragments Village, Town, District and even Nation.
Vincent Haynes
Now in Ghana: the Ashanti within the Akan Nation, sees itself above the rest of the Tribes because of rich historic tradition.
Vincent Haynes
And in Nigeria for example: the multipicity of lingoes and dialects sharply divides villages. And that give you some idea of the problem Africa is confronted with; just one of many.
Bushie
People say all the time that a little bit of information/education is dangerous ……. used to say! And maybe there is some credence to that established truism, we understand.
In the alternative and on that basis we find no compelling reason/s to blindly support the abundance of information, education, knowledge either.
It could be argued that these are both equal, if measured in real terms. It’s a simple theorem – things that are equal to the same thing are themselves equal to one another. Meaning, the absence of education gave us a certain status quo. The abundance of education now leads to that same status quo or worse.
Just thinking…………………………………
Yes ! i want to see black people rise from the ashes of mental slavery to self empowerment but not by the hand of dictators or rulers with iron fist whether they be black or white male or female. Those having a wicked agenda to control ,those who advocate change by any means necessary are arrogant and selfcentered fickle in nature just like the imperialist they criticized, just the other side of the coin, supposedly having all the answers presenting a well gift wrapped and crafted agenda of knowing what’s in the best interest of the people presenting while omitting and excluding the people right for self determination, that is where the rubber hits the road and all hell breaks loose, there is sufficient evedience of proof sitting right across the waters close to our own back yard, i suggest those with such ideaologies go try them out for yourself ,there is China and Russia too
Pachamama
Here is a real truism: human reasoning is liken to a two edged sword. Just read Socrates autobiography brother.
@BT
It is about building an area of local creativity, manufacture and PRIDE….
++++++++
I know this is small potatoes, but what is creative about uniforms and how does “PRIDE” figure into the equation?
Uniforms belong to the military and certain professional disciplines not average citizens who have a Gov’t job, BTW “David” never expanded on who will pay for these uniforms; however since you are the “brains” around this place you could let us lesser brassbowls in on that secret.
Dompey
Please, we find the people who influenced the Socratic tradition more insightful than Socrates himself. This is basic stuff, it is impossible to understand the present unless one would have read and understood certain traditions. Even Bushie’s prophetic tradition must be a basic requirement. No thanks
Vincent Haynes
Some African intellectual had made the suggestion many years ago that the African continent should abandoned all of it local dialects and adopted Swahili which is currently spoken in: Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and certain part of Somali, Djibouti and Ethiopia, as the National language of Africa. But that in itself would be a task equal to none and, I would parallel with the Almighty God moving out of the Heavens and presenting Himself in the flesh, in front of Miller.
David | November 2, 2014 at 8:03 AM |
All the African leaders who try to effect change eventually find boot hill.
…………………………………………………………………………
Not all ,David.
Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings came to power in Ghana in June 1979 . I recall him giving the merchants until midnight to bring their exorbitant prices down.He handed back control to a civilian government , in September 1979 ,after 112 days in power.
Not pleased ,again, with how the civilian government was handling the country’s affairs, he once again took control of the government in December 1981, and ruled for 11 years.
Dompey
Continue with your research it can be very eye opening and possibly when you get to religion in all of its various form you may become an agnostic like me.
Please! I am not discussing Socrates intellectual tradition at all sir. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotles are the foundation of the Western Intellectual tradition and we are cognizant of that fact. locke, Hume, and Berkeley the contemporary Bristish empiricists philosophers carry on the tradition. Hegel, Decartes and kant the rationalists philosophers further this tradition. Sarter, Kierkegaar and Camus extended this Western Intellectual Tradition, you stiff dick. So stop insulting my intelligent sir.
AC If you are referring to biblical times, people weren’t racial they were tribal. Queen of Sheba met Solomon (1 Kings 10:1–13; 2 Chronicles 9:1–12) Menelik I is the child of Solomon and Maqueda (the Ethiopic name for the queen)
http://youtu.be/s6u78WuLyFI
Pachamama
I have a question for you since you’re so intelligent: what was Emanuel Kant’s contribution to the Western Intellectual Tradition sir? Kant, did something very improtant in this ancient tradition, that anyone who has studied philosophy ought to know. And why was all the philosophers prior Socrates called Pre-Socratic Philosophers?
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