Burkina Faso has officially unveiled a monumental mausoleum in Ouagadougou honoring Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader assassinated in 1987, along with his 12 aides. The memorial, designed by Francis Kéré, the 2022 Pritzker Prize-winning architect, is both a symbolic and architectural tribute to Sankara’s legacy. Standing over 70 meters tall, the structure is shaped like an eye, with 13 descending steps representing each of the fallen revolutionaries. The site is located at the Conseil de l’Entente, the very place where Sankara and his aides were killed—transforming a place of tragedy into one of remembrance and national pride.
Built with laterite bricks sourced locally, the mausoleum reflects Sankara’s emphasis on sustainable development and self-reliance. Architect Kéré’s design aligns with Sankara’s ideals of using local materials and empowering communities through functional and inspiring public spaces. Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo described the memorial as more than a structure “It is a site for collective consciousness—for Burkinabè, for freedom fighters, and for all those who cherish peace and social justice.”
The memorial complex includes a restaurant, media library, workshops, and administrative offices, all connected by a green promenade. It is intended as a space for reflection, education, and unity—embedding Sankara’s revolutionary ideals of social equity, anti-imperialism, and integrity into the heart of Burkinabè civic life. Civil society activist Serge Bayala Imotep hailed the project as a symbol of victory for oppressed peoples, calling it “A triumph of sovereignty over imperialism, and the enduring power of Sankara’s vision.”
The site is expected to serve not only as a national landmark but also as a cultural and educational hub for future generations.
