President Compaoré, under pressure from the rising unrest, finally relented. He dismissed his government and named Luc Adolphe Tiao, a former journalist and ambassador to France as his new prime minister. He also met with military leaders for a tense two-hour meeting held in the presidential palace. Unsmiling and patronizing, he promised to improve military housing, clothing, and food allowances – small concessions to quell the fury that had gripped the nation. The promises, though necessary, felt hollow. The protests may have ended, but the tension lingered, thick and unspoken, like the stillness before a storm. The seeds of discontent had been planted, taking root in the minds of both soldiers and civilians alike. A revolution was brewing beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to erupt.
Among those watching the events unfold was a 23-year-old soldier, Ibrahim Traoré, standing on the sidelines of history but absorbing every moment. The distant rumble of protests still echoed in his ears as he pondered the future of the country he loved. The dust from the streets seemed to cling to him, just as the harsh reality of life in Burkina Faso weighed on his thoughts. He believed deeply that every Burkinabè deserved equal access to resources and opportunities, which was a pipe dream in one of the world’s ten poorest nations.
Three-quarters of the population couldn’t read or write, the sounds of their struggles reverberating in the silence that followed the protests. Traoré knew he wasn’t in a position to change things – yet. For now, he remained a disciplined, loyal soldier, waiting for the right moment to step forward, all the while carrying the burden of his country’s future like a weight he couldn’t shake.
