The air in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, on Saturday, May 17, 2025, hummed with a blend of sombre reflection and hope.

Thirty-eight years after imperialist forces orchestrated his arrest and assassination of Burkina Faso’s revolutionary President Thomas Sankara and his twelve companions, a magnificent mousoleum has been built to honour his legacy.

Sankara and 12 others, on October 15, 1987, were killed by a hit squad at a meeting of the ruling National Revolutionary Council in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou. He was 37.

Sankara, widely regarded as the "Father of the Burkinabe Revolution" and a hero across Africa, is remarkably remembered for his anti-colonial stance as well as the introduction a raft of economic, educational, ecological and social reforms.

Location that speaks volumes

Nestled in the very heart of Ouagadougou, at the Conseil de l'Entente, the mausoleum joins a giant statue of Sankara, standing right over the spot where his vibrant vision was tragically cut short.

The shootings of Sankara and his companions occurred on the same day former president Blaise Compaoré seized power. In 2022, Compaoré was handed, in absentia, a life sentence, as he was the main suspect in Sankara's death.

Authorities said the mausoleum is specifically designed not only for mourning but also as a source of inspiration.

The government says it’s a place for "thought, remembrance, and inspiration for current and future generations, as it embodies a people's gratitude to those who embodied integrity, social justice, and African sovereignty."

A master's touch

The genius behind the poignant structure is Francis Kéré, the celebrated Burkinabe architect who made history in 2022 as the first African recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Kéré, a fervent advocate for architecture rooted in local materials and African tradition, says he believes in "creating places where people can live, sleep, work, love, and learn."

He adds that his philosophy is woven into the Thomas Sankara Mausoleum, a “fusion of tradition and contemporary relevance.”

Date etched in memory

Prime Minister Ouédraogo, speaking on behalf of Transitional President Captain Ibrahim Traoré at the unveiling ceremony, said the structure has become “a potent symbol of defiance, a resounding rejection of foreign domination and neocolonialism.

"As heirs to his struggle, we recognise our responsibility in these troubled times... Homeland or Death, we will win!" Ouédraogo declared.

The solemn occasion drew a distinguished gathering of African leaders, including Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the Chad’s Prime Minister Allah-Maye Halina. They paid tributes to Sankara whose legacy, many say, continues to resonate across the continent.

Looking to the future, the Prime Minister revealed ambitious plans for the Thomas Sankara Memorial to encompass a sprawling 14-hectare site, transforming it into a veritable "crossroads of African history, culture, and dignity".

In a poignant gesture, Captain Traoré also decreed that streets throughout Burkina Faso will be named after each of the twelve companions who fell alongside President Sankara.

Traoré, who came to power in 2022, has often stressed that he wants to pursue the philosophy of the late revolutionary leader.