A campaign to get rid of the French colonial legacy is gaining momentum in West African countries - the latest stage has been the mass renaming of streets, squares and districts that for decades bore the names of French generals, politicians and cultural figures, Report informs via Al Arabiya.
This process is not just a change of signs, but a profound act of decolonization of consciousness and the return of national identity to peoples who once lived under the shadow of French influence.
The government of Burkina Faso has developed a large-scale plan to replace all street names that bear the imprint of French culture. First of all, the names of French generals and figures of the colonial era, whose names adorned public buildings and streets, were hit.
The plan covers not only streets, but also landmarks, monuments, historical quotes, names of organizations, architectural structures and entire districts.
It is especially symbolic that the new leadership of Burkina Faso, headed by Ibrahim Traore, chooses the names of individuals who actively opposed French influence. Instead of de Gaulle, Faidherbe and Montaigne, the streets now bear the names of associates of Thomas Sankara, a national hero killed in 1987 with the support of the French secret services, Jean Andre Soumda, Babou Pauline Bamoni and Sibiri Patrice Zagre.
The renaming process covered not only Burkina Faso, but also other countries in the region - Mali, Niger, Chad, Senegal and the Central African Republic.
The disappearance of Charles de Gaulle's name from the maps of African cities is particularly significant. This process has a deep symbolic meaning, given the general's role in the history of France and its colonies.
In Niamey, the capital of Niger, the Rue Charles de Gaulle is now named after Djibo Bakary, one of the country's most famous fighters for independence.
In Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, the main street previously named after de Gaulle has been renamed after Thomas Sankara.
There, the Rue de France has been named after Marie-Therese Houphouet-Boigny, the first woman to hold the title of First Lady of the country, and the Rue de Marseille is now named after Philippe Gregoire Yace, former president of the National Assembly.
In Mali, the process of decolonization of the map is also actively underway - all French names have disappeared from the streets of the main cities, giving way to the names of Malian and pan-African heroes.
This process of renaming is not just a change of signs, but an important step in the psychological liberation from the colonial legacy and the formation of a new, independent African identity.