Africa's youngest leader, a friend of Russia, is celebrated by some and criticized by others

Africa’s youngest leader divides opinion over Russia ties

Traore, who was in Moscow for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, is Africa’s youngest leader at 37, a strong appeal for the continent's young population that is used to much older leaders.

Africa's youngest leader, a friend of Russia, is celebrated by some and criticized by others

Burkina Faso’s junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore has sparked a social media debate, with some in Africa praising him and others criticizing him.

How to Crown an Impostor

By Azu Ishiekwene The writer is Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the new book Writing for Media and Monetising It. ABUJA, Nigeria | 14 May 2025 (IDN) — Burkinabe leader Ibrahim Traore is acting like a rock star. It’s not entirely his fault. He’s receiving a lot of help from dozens of social media users, especially TikTokers, who are desperate to anoint him as the best thing to come out of Burkina Faso since Thomas Sankara. Traore must…