Edited & interviewed
by Kazembe Batts IG: @kazbatts
In his own words an anonymous, 27 year, Brooklyn-based, Burkina Faso born, software engineer, American citizen who has been living in the USA for 18 years, shares thoughts after a recent visit.
How Safe Is the City, the Country? Any Fear of Destabilization?
Ouagadougou I’ll say is 100% safe. I know people hear about the security crisis going on such as terrorist attacks from Jihadist forces, things like that outside (city limits), the city itself is pretty safe, people get around comfortably nowadays whereas ten years ago could have been way more cautious but now the city is fully functional, businesses are open, people go about their daily lives and overall in terms of the country the security situation has been getting close to under control because the new Traore government has been very proactive in countering the Islamist terrorism that has been going on.
Right now the country is at its highest percentage of territorial control. It’s looking more and more so on the positive side, the whole country will be a safe zone. Anybody who is an enemy, doesn’t matter if it is the West or somebody acting in the interest of the West we feel the same way.
Now there is a greater sense of unity and national pride and so I know in the past the West has been the biggest source of attempting to destabilize us when we are in moments when we want to take our sovereignty such as back in Thomas Sankara’s day. So in that sense we have learned from that day that the West is like a bad student that tries to come back whenever it does wrong because it does not learn a lesson but now we know who the forces are who are against us and we are trying to break free from the chains of slavery that was forced on us during colonialism.
Is President Traore Popular?
Traore is, many of us say, the second coming of Thomas Sankara. He is extremely popular among the youth. Without the youth of Burkina Faso he would not be where he is today because when he took power it was the youth who said if you work for us then we will work for you. So he got to work. Last year was when the review of his term happened and the youth of the country took to the streets to protest that if you don’t give Traore ten years then we won’t be happy. Knowing that the youth are a force in the country and there could be instability, they decided to give Traore five years of presidency.
We have a revolutionary right to take our sovereignty to what it actually means to be sovereign. That means controlling our resources, preserving our cultural heritage, building social relations with other countries that every Burkinabe can benefit from.
Some Differences Between Ouagadougou and NYC When Outside
I’ll say you feel more connected to who you are around and where you are. For example the ambiance is way more lively, people are talking to each other, compared to here when you go on the street you see most people as strangers, in Burkina people see each other as family even though they are not your family, every morning you say “hi” to your neighbors, speak to their kids, if you go out on the streets people are making and selling authentic handmade food like grilled chicken, lamb and stuff. The food is always vibrant and natural. The ambiance and energy are a big difference between NYC and Ouagadougou.
Access to Media and Info in Ouagadougou
Access to info is accessible for anyone with internet service and internet is readily available. Just like we do here in the USA, in Burkina Faso they use social media, IG, Twitter YouTube. In America, Fox news, CNN which are polarized in viewpoints depending on which side of the left or right they are leaning to, whereas in Burkina Faso it is more so the truth of what is going on. If there is news from any country, there is anything that is happening it will be reported. There are independent media that are free to report but I know political parties are currently suspended but that is not upheld to the media.
How is Your Reception When Returning
Every time I go back I’m perceived as a person of the soil, but some can always tell that I’m an outsider. But it is not really seen as a bad thing. I probably won’t understand when they speak in native languages as much but when the common language, French, is spoken I understand fluently, speak with them fluently. So it’s like I never left. It’s like a separation that’s been there for a couple years that’s always seen in my presence.
A Message to African American Young Adults
In Ouagadougou, a young person like me when you’re out with friends, you can go in the city where there are activities and malls that give a modern feel to a young person. There are neighborhood bars and clubs but the main thing people do is grill, every street in Ouagadougou there is chicken and lamb grilled. I look forward to eating that every time I go back.
There is nothing here that you can’t do in Ouagadougou. The perception of African Americans by Burkinabe is very positive I’d say. Especially from the youth who are very interested in the media, in music, sports, various arts and global culture. African Americans have been the frontrunners of most of the categories and so Burkinabe see African Americans as an example, as a hope, more so as an example of strength.
We certainly are one people. We have similar cultural values and viewpoints, and I do definitely want to say that African Americans or people from the diaspora like the Afro-Caribbean or the Africans from Europe should be looking out for Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger as the hope of Africa.
What it really means to be sovereign because its more than a social fad or a cool movement of ideas it’s literally a chance for Africa to take the steps to be where it should be in the world order, which is at the forefront as the cradle of humanity and a continent that does not need anything from anybody.
