Captain Ibrahim Traoré, military President of Burkina Faso has urged youths from the 13 regions of the country not to be cowards but courageous and adopt a principled stance for the nation.
Traoré made this known on Friday, August 9, 2024, in celebration of International Youth Day (IYD) 2024. In his speech, he emphasised the importance of shedding “cowardice,” “treachery,” and “incompetence.” He urged the youths to reject these vices and adopt a courageous and principled stance.
“Let us not be cowards, African youth. We must banish treachery from our habits,” he declared, stating that succumbing to these vices would lead to negative consequences.
“If you are afraid, you will become cowards and traitors. Never be afraid,” he continued. He warned that even a single act of betrayal could lead to dire outcomes. “If you betray, you will meet a macabre end,” he cautioned. He also encouraged the youth to seek knowledge and not waste their time doing nothing.
According to Captain Traore, the phrase “Fatherland or death, we will win” is not just a slogan but a call to action. “It makes perfect sense,” he affirmed, emphasising that there is no room for cowardice in the current movement.
We are writing history, and there is no room for cowardice,” he stated.
Traoré reminded them that youth is a blessing and urged them to take advantage of it to engage in meaningful work.
The Interim Captain, 36, took over the country’s political affairs in September 2022 after a coup d’état that ousted the former interim president. He has since undertaken various initiatives, including implementing anti-corruption programmes and boldly severing military ties with France after it failed to combat the insecurity that plagued the region despite years of establishing military bases, and signing a mutual defense pact with Niger and Mali aiming to collectively combat armed rebellion or external threats.
Also, in a decisive step towards economic reform, Traore announced a 30 per cent reduction in salaries for ministers and politicians, while simultaneously increasing the salaries of workers by 50 per cent, a gesture of commitment to the people’s welfare that has sent a strong message of hope to the citizens.
Traoré’s address to the youths of Burkina Faso is a call to action to reject cowardice, treachery, and incompetence, and instead embrace courage to make changes for a better future.
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