Republic of Upper Volta

Republic of Upper Volta République de Haute-Volta (French)
1958–1984
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unité – Travail – Justice" (in French) "Unity – Work – Justice"
Anthem: "Hymne National Voltaïque"
Capital	Ouagadougou
Common languages	French
Government	One-party presidential republic (1960–1966) Military dictatorship (1966–1984)
President
• 1959–1966	Maurice Yaméogo
• 1966–1980	Sangoulé Lamizana
• 1980–1982	Saye Zerbo
• 1982–1983	Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo
• 1983–1984	Thomas Sankara
High Commissioner
• 1958–1959	Max Berthet
• 1959–1960	Paul Masson
Prime Minister
• 1971–1974	Gérard Kango Ouédraogo
• 1983	Thomas Sankara
Historical era	Cold War
• Self-governing colony	December 11, 1958
• Independence	August 5, 1960
• Coup d'état	January 3, 1966
• Coup d'état	November 25, 1980
• Coup d'état	November 7, 1982
• Coup d'état	August 3, 1983
• Renamed	August 4, 1984
Currency	CFA franc
Preceded by Succeeded by French Upper Volta Burkina Faso
Today part of	Burkina Faso

The Republic of Upper Volta (French: République de Haute-Volta), now Burkina Faso, was a landlocked West African country established on December 11, 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community.[1][2] Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960, it attained full independence from France.[3] On August 4, 1984, it changed its name to Burkina Faso.

Name and flag

Map showing the Volta River in Upper Volta

The name Upper Volta indicated that the country contains the upper part of the Volta River. The colors of the national flag corresponded to the names of its three main tributaries — the Black Volta, the White Volta, and the Red Volta.[4]

History

Upper Volta obtained independence on August 5, 1960. The first president of the country, Maurice Yaméogo, is at the head of the Alliance for Democracy and the Federation / African Democratic Rally. The 1960 Constitution establishes the election by direct universal suffrage of the President and the National Assembly for a term of five years. Shortly after coming to power, Yaméogo banned all political parties other than the Alliance for Democracy.

Thomas Sankara came to power through a military coup d'état on August 4, 1983.[5] After the coup, he formed the National Council for the Revolution (CNR), with himself as president. Under the direction of Sankara, the country changed its name on August 4, 1984, from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, which means "Land of Incorruptible People".[6]

Policy

From 1958 to 1960, the Republic of Upper Volta was led by a High Commissioner:

• Max Berthet (December 11, 1958 to February 1959),
• Paul Masson (February 1959 to August 5, 1960).

From 1971 to 1987, the Republic of Upper Volta was led by a Prime Minister:

• Gérard Kango Ouedraogo (February 13, 1971, to February 8, 1974)
• Thomas Sankara (August 4, 1983, to October 14, 1987)

Symbols

Flag

The three colors of the national flag of Upper Volta come from the fact that the Volta has three parts: the Black Volta, the White Volta, and the Red Volta.

National Hymn

In French: Fière Volta de mes aieux, Ton soleil ardent et glorieux Te revêt d'or et de fierté Ô Reine drapée de loyauté ! Nous te ferons et plus forte, et plus belle À ton amour nous resterons fidèles Et nos cœurs vibrant de fierté Acclameront ta beauté Vers l'horizon lève les yeux Frémis aux accents tumultueux De tes fiers enfants tous dressés Promesses d'avenir caressées Le travail de ton sol brûlant Sans fin trempera les cœurs ardents, Et les vertus de tes enfants Le ceindront d'un diadème triomphant. Que Dieu te garde en sa bonté, Que du bonheur de ton sol aimé, L'Amour des frères soit la clé, Honneur, Unité et Liberté.

In English: Proud Volta of my ancestors, Your ardent and glorious sun Takes you with gold and pride O Queen draped with loyalty! We will make you stronger and more beautiful To your love we will remain faithful And our hearts vibrant with pride Will acclaim your beauty Towards the horizon look up Frisks with the tumultuous accents Of your proud children all trained Caressed promises of future The work of your burning ground Endless will soak the ardent hearts, And the virtues of your children The girdle of a triumphant diadem. May God keep you in his goodness, May the happiness of your beloved soil, The love of the brethren be the key, Honor, Unity and Freedom.

This anthem has been replaced since 1984 by a new anthem, the Ditanyè.

See also

• History of Burkina Faso
• List of governors of Upper Volta
• List of heads of state of Burkina Faso
• List of heads of government of Burkina Faso

References

1. "Burkina Faso". Afripedia. Africa.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-11. Retrieved 2017-02-09.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. "Field Listing: National Holiday". The World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
3. Meredith, Martin (2013). The State of Africa. Simon & Schuster. p. 69. ISBN 9780857203885.
4. "Upper Volta (Burkina Faso, 1959-1984)". Flags of the World. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
5. "Thomas Sankara". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
6. "More (Language of the Mossi Tribe) Phrase Book". World Digital Library. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2013.