On August 5, 1960, Upper Volta, future Burkina Faso, became independent
The ratification of the independence of Upper Volta between Louis Jacquinot and Maurice Yaméogo on August 4, 1960. Public domain
Text by: Patricia Blettery Follow
5 mins
On August 5, 1960, Maurice Yaméogo proclaimed the independence of Upper Volta on national broadcasting.
Africans take the reins of power.
The population which does not benefit from the same rights as the French colonists welcomes this day with relief.
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Dismantled in 1932 to provide labor to neighboring colonies (current French Sudan, Mali, Niger, Ivory Coast), Upper Volta was reconstituted in 1947 with the acquired rights of the French colonies in Africa, including national representation. . Upper Volta, a poor territory, did not benefit from any development policy. In March 1957, the new Territorial Assembly was elected by universal suffrage. It designates a government of twelve members chaired by Ouezzin Coulibaly, one of the great African leaders, who died in 1958.
On September 28, 1958, Upper Volta replied "yes" to the referendum proposed by General de Gaulle.
It therefore became an autonomous Republic on December 11, 1958, within the Community founded by de Gaulle.
Maurice Yaméogo stands out as the head of government.
In March 1959, the country withdrew from the Mali Federation project which brought together Upper Volta, French Sudan, Dahomey and Senegal.
Two months later, she joined the Council of the Entente (Niger, current Dahomey Benin, Ivory Coast) led by the Ivorian Félix Houphouët-Boigny.
► To (re) listen: Memory of a continent: August 5, 1960: independence of Upper Volta
On December 11, 1959, one year after the birth of the Republic of Upper Volta, Maurice Yaméogo in a speech, marked his attachment to the symbols and emblems of the young Republic and in particular to the three colors of its flag (black, white, red ) which are those of the three tributaries of the Volta river, the black, white and red Volta.
On August 5, 1960, surrounded by the presidents of Dahomey, Hubert Maga, Niger, Hamani Diori and Ivory Coast, with Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Maurice Yaméogo, on the airwaves of the national radio address his fellow citizens: “
Today, August 5, 1960, at midnight, in the name of the natural human right to liberty, equality and fraternity, I solemnly proclaim the independence of the Republic of Upper Volta. Nine centuries of history have revealed to the world the moral value of the Voltaic man. In the name of this morality from which we want to build our nation, I express my deep gratitude to all the architects of our national independence
".
Maurice Yaméogo, 39, makes history forever.
In December 1960, he was confirmed at the head of power by a National Assembly composed mainly of members of the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (RDA), a single party.
The country was admitted to the UN in September 1960.
At independence, the opposition is silenced in the country.
Maurice Yaméogo is gradually building up personal power.
Many opponents are arrested, the competitors dismissed thanks to appointments to prestigious positions.
His way of life (expensive travel), his private life (repudiation of his first wife) and his austerity policy (reduction in civil servants' salaries, increase in taxes, etc.) are causing ever-greater turmoil.
The people do not see the benefits of independence coming.
In April 1961, Maurice Yaméogo went to France to sign the cooperation agreements. And the one who had thanked General de Gaulle for his “
courage
” and his “
magnificent lucidity”
distances himself by refusing to grant military bases to France. Maurice Yaméogo does not wish to permanently jeopardize his external security by explicit or implicit integration into a military bloc. However, most of the decisions taken, especially as regards budgetary questions, economic questions, remain very influenced by the decisions of the French technical assistants.
In January 1966, a popular uprising under the impetus of the unions was born, the army took power.
General Sangoulé Lamizana becomes president.
He will remain at the head of the country for nearly 15 years.
On August 4, 1984,
Thomas Sankara
renamed Upper Volta in Burkina-Faso, the “land of upright men”.
The flag and the anthem change.
•
To listen:
Memory of a continent: August 5, 1960: independence of Upper Volta
Burkina Faso independence: an unobtainable piece of Volta Jazz
Independence of Burkina Faso: the evolution of the role of women in 60 years
•
To read:
Independence of Burkina Faso: "The colonial system was perceived as an unjust system"
What the names of African countries mean [1/4: from A to D]
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