Yes, everybody knows about Ibrahim Traore, the formidable African leader who we can call the next Thomas Sankara because of some similarities between them but what if we told you that there is another Thomas Sankara in the making? Who you may ask? Well, it is said that actions speak louder than words, and for this African leader, his actions indeed speak louder. He is not as popular as Ibrahim Traore nor has he given any magnificent speeches like Traore but his actions hint at the kind of leader he is. In fact, the only glaringly obvious thing he has in common with Captain Ibrahim Traore is that they both came into power through a coup. But, from there, things begin to change. For Ibrahim Traore, his coup is lauded as revolutionary all over the world just like Thomas Sankara.
On the other hand, when this African leader first came to power, the people of his country were excited because the coup seemed to be revolutionary like that of Mali and Burkina Faso. But, soon after, some information came to light which hinted that his coup was orchestrated to remove the immediate family in power for some certain reason and retain power in the wider family. And so, therefore his takeover of power cannot be revolutionary. You might already have an idea of who we are talking about but for those who do not know, this African leader we are talking about is General Brice Oligui Nguema, the military junta of Gabon.
Yes, we know it might be shocking to some people to hear us say that General Brice is another Thomas Sankara in the making. But, we have evidence to support our claims so stay with us as we show you.
General Brice Nguema came into power after he overthrew the government of Ali Bongo, the deposed President of Gabon whose government was notable for corruption and circulation of the wealth of the country in the hands of few, leaving the citizens to suffer. Before this time, he was the head of the Presidential Guard. According to some sources, General Brice Nguema is the cousin of the deposed President and so a member of the Bongo clan. It is speculated that the coup that placed him in power was orchestrated by the Bongo clan to remove Ali Bongo and his immediate family from power because they felt he was no longer fit to rule and also to ensure that power remained in the hands of the Bongo family. At the time all this information hinted that General Brice was nothing but a puppet in the hands of the Bongo family. But now, his actions since he started working as Interim President shows that he is of a different breed. He may not have publicly come out to say that he is a follower of Thomas Sankara but his actions say so.

So, what exactly has General Brice done that shows that he may be following the footsteps of Africa’s Che Guevara?
First, like Thomas Sankara, General Brice has cracked down on corruption since he came to power. For Thomas Sankara, he used Popular Revolutionary Tribunals to prosecute public officials charged with political crimes and corruption, considering such elements of the state counter-revolutionaries. Although this led to criticism by Amnesty International for human rights violations, there was no doubt in the minds of everyone that Sankara stood and fought against corruption. The same can be said of General Brice Nguema. One of the first things he did after he assumed power was to prosecute corrupt officials in the government of the deposed President. These include the former First Lady, Sylvia Bongo, and her eldest son Noureddin Bongo who were charged with corruption, embezzlement, and money laundering. Overall, 10 officials have been indicted on different charges ranging from electoral college operational issues, counterfeiting, and use of the seals of the republic, to corruption, embezzlement of public funds, and money laundering. Seven including Noureddin and two former ministers for oil have been detained.
However, that’s not all. On Thursday, August 31st, the Gabonese military junta gathered about 200 Gabonese businessmen for a meeting. Guess the purpose of this meeting? It wasn’t to commend them or talk about a policy that would help their business. No, it was to blast them about their corrupt actions in their business activities. During the meeting, he lashed out against firms overbilling for their services and told the business leaders to commit to the “development of the country”.
“It is difficult to perceive, at this stage, your commitment or patriotism when it comes to the development expected by our compatriots,” Nguema said, vowing to make sure the overcharged money “comes back to the state”. “This situation, for me, cannot continue, and I will not tolerate it”, he added. His crackdown against corruption is truly commendable and no doubt has endeared him to the heart of the Gabonese people.

Now, another thing that General Brice has done that reflects Thomas Sankara is something he did just recently. On Wednesday, October 18th, General Brice, through his spokesman, stated that he will no longer receive salary as President and will only receive a wage as commander of the republican guard. He said the reason for this decision is because he is aware of the social emergencies and many expectations of the Gabonese people”. He added that the 14-year rule of former President Ali Bongo was marred by allegations of corruption and other financial scandals and that the country’s finances were “victim of a real criminal fury”.
Doesn’t this action remind you of Thomas Sankara who refused to use air conditioning in his office because not everyone in Burkina Faso could afford it and also lowered his salary to $450 a month as well as limited his possessions to a car, four bikes, three guitars, a refrigerator, and a broken freezer?
In addition to renouncing his salary as president, Gen Nguema also decided to reduce public spending by slashing the allowances for lawmakers, eliminating political funds, and cutting session allowances. Again, this reminds us of Thomas Sankara who reduced the salary of public officials and forbade the use of government chauffeurs and first-class airline tickets. Certainly, the reduction of ridiculous allowances for lawmakers as well as the elimination of political funds would help to create revenue that would be used to develop the country. Indeed, General Brice is truly following in the footsteps of Thomas Sankara. Even if he was truly placed there by the Bongo clan as an extension of the family, the fact is that his actions since taking power show that he is of a different breed. His actions have no doubt restored the confidence of the Gabonese people in the leadership of the country and if he continues in this path, he would no doubt grow to become a well-beloved leader just like Thomas Sankara.
Thomas Sankara once said “Kill me and a thousand Sankaras will be born” These words of prophecy are being fulfilled in our very eyes. First, Ibrahim Traore, and now General Brice Nguema.
What do you think about the Gabon military junta? Is he another Thomas Sankara in the making? Let us know in the comments section down below and don’t forget to like, subscribe and share this video.
General Brice a thomas sankara in the making