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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mogho Naaba, Burkina Faso’s Traditional Leader

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mogho Naaba, Burkina Faso’s Traditional Leader

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A symbol of traditional leadership in Burkina Faso, Mogho Naaba is the ruling king of the Mossi ethnic group and he’s credited with helping restore civilian rule after last week’s military coup.

The traditional Mossi kingdom dates back to the 12th century, with the Burkina Faso capital of Ouagadougou located at the center of the kingdom on the Mossi Plateau. Geography is partly why Mogho Naaba has influence in modern political affairs.

Like Switzerland and British monarchs, Mogho Naaba’s role is expected to be one of political neutrality — an asset when dialogue breaks down, CNN reports.

Mogho Naba is a title for the king of the Mossi. The current Mogho Naaba is Naba Baongo II.

Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Mogho Naaba, Burkina Faso’s traditional leader.

Sources: BBC, TheGuardianInternationalCrisisGroup

Mogho Naaba
Mogho Naaba, Facebook

A brief history of crisis in Burkina Faso leadership

Burkina Faso’s powerful elite presidential guards (RSP) staged a coup last week, detaining interim leaders who have been running the country since a popular uprising deposed President Blaise Compaoré in October 2014. Compaoré tried to extend his 27-year rule.

Interim President Michel Kafando resumed power after the weeklong coup following pressure on the renegade RSP troops by French President François Hollande, who threatened sanctions. Regional powers including the Economic Community of West African States helped forge an accord.

The Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) is the presidential guard of former President Compaoré, and it’s his most controversial legacy. In the 1990s, some of its members were involved in many political killings ordered by Compaoré’s regime, according InternationalCrisisGroup.

The deal to restore the interim administration to power was presented to the Mogho Naaba, king of Burkina Faso’s leading Mossi tribe, with the media in attendance early Wednesday.

Source: TheGuardian, InternationalCrisisGroup

Mogho Naab Baongo
Mogho Naaba Baongo, IIYoutube

There is a strong culture of compromise in Burkina Faso

During the October 2014 uprising, citizens urged the military to hand over power to a civilian. Influential figures such as the Mogho Naaba, the king of the Mossi, have strong moral authority and helped mediate the crisis. Former President Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo is another influential figure in the country.

Source:  InternationalCrisisGroup

Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II
Isaac Zida greets Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II. Photo: AFP/France24

It’s customary for politicians seeking power to get Mogho Naaba’s approval

During times of peace in Burkina Faso, ambassadors, ministers and officials elected to the national parliament visit Mogho Naaba to get symbolic approval out of respect for the tradition.

In times of crisis, the Mogho Naaba’s role is even more important.

Both coup leaders and the people they sought to depose have visited the Mogho Naaba in the recent crisis.

Coup leader Brig. Gen. Gilbert Diendere visited Mogho Naaba following the announcement earlier this week that the Burkina Faso army was on its way to disarm coup soldiers.

Transitional Prime Minister Lt. Col. Isaac Zida made a courtesy visit to Mogho Naaba after the popular revolt, then returned again when presidential guards in July stormed a cabinet meeting to demand his resignation.

Source: BBC

Mogho Naaba Baongo
Mogho Naaba Baongo, garango.de

Mogho Naaba is well suited to diplomacy

He is Western-educated, speaks French, is an avid football fan and was once a boxer.

Source: BBC

Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II
Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II, koaci.com

The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso

The Mossi, also known as Mole or Mosse, are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, constituting more than 40 percent of the population — about 6.2 million people. The other 60 percent of Burkina Faso’s population is composed of more than 60 ethnic groups, mainly the Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, and Fulani. The Mossi speak the Mòoré language.

Significant numbers of Mossi live in neighboring countries including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo.

The expansion of the Mossi empire stopped in the 1800s with French colonization. The Mossi people’s history is preserved in oral tradition, and it is impossible to assign precise dates for the period before colonization.

Sources: WorldFactbook, Wikipedia

 Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II
Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II Photo: snipview.com

Mogho Naaba’s power has been curtailed by both colonial and anti-colonial forces

French rule affected Mossi society and weakened the power of the Mossi king, but the Mogho Naaba still had some authority. Though it has not been generally recognized, the Mossi played a key role in France’s military during World War II. They constituted the greater part of the corps in the military troops of French West Africa, known in French as the Tirailleurs Sénégalais.

More recently, Mogho Naaba’s authority was significantly curtailed during the presidency of Thomas Sankara, an anti-imperialist revolutionary who died in October 1987.

Sources: Wikipedia, BBC

Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II.
Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II. Photo: artistebf.org

Mogho Naaba is credited with helping avoid bloodshed

The king is said to have played a key role in helping Burkina Faso avoid a bloodbath as negotiations between officers from both sides of the military spectrum took place to end the standoff following last week’s coup.

Source: BBC

 Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II
Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II, snipview.com

In official business, Mogho Naaba only speaks Moore

In official functions, he only speaks Moore, his mother tongue. He engages his various guests through a spokesperson, Larle Naba, his minister of communication and custodian of oral tradition and folklore.

Moore is one of two official regional languages of Burkina Faso, closely related to the Frafra language spoken across the border in Northern Ghana.

Source: BBC, Wikipedia

 Mossi community
Girls dance in a Mossi community. Photo: csinburkinafaso.com

Mossi hold collectivism in high regard

The Mossi hold collectivism in high regard, and individualism does not exist in traditional Mossi culture, according to a 2006 interview with Marie Tapsoba, “Significant values of Mossi and Traditional and Cultural Events.” Ones actions and behaviors are taken to be characteristics of ones family, Tapsoba said. All are expected to act in their family’s name. Heritage is patrilineal, passed down from father to son. However, when a man has no sons, women can inherit from their husband and father.

Sources: Wikipedia

Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II
Mogho Naaba Naba Baongo II, nairaland

The current Mogho Naaba is Naba Baongo II, and he’s on Facebook

In Burkinabe history, Mogho Naaba represents the sun, and is greatly revered. The current Mogho Naaba is Naba Baongo II. His name appears in most media stories related to Burkinabe politics and he is social-media savvy, with his own Facebook page. He posts pictures and comments like this one: “Let peace reign in the Burkina Faso. God bless the land of upright men.”