Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, became the centre of attention at the inauguration ceremony of Ghana’s President John Mahama on Tuesday.
From a gleaming pistol attached to his waist to his imposing entourage of heavily armed guards and the electrifying reception he received, Traoré has been the subject of heated discussions on social media since the event.
The ceremony marked Mahama’s second coming as the Ghanaian president after his victory in the December 7 election. The event, held in Accra, was attended by numerous global leaders, both from Africa and beyond.
Traoré’s presence, however, stood out, as it marked his first official African trip outside the Sahel Alliance—a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—since his rise to power in 2022.
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The 36-year-old junta leader was warmly welcomed by Ghanaian authorities and accompanied by an entourage of heavily armed guards.
Traoré, notably carrying a pistol, drew attention as he mingled with other world leaders and even took to the stage to exchange greetings with newly inaugurated Mahama. His decision to display a firearm in such a high-profile diplomatic setting sparked debate, as it violated international protocol.
The crowd’s reaction to Traoré was striking. His introduction was met with thunderous applause, especially from younger attendees, a reception that overshadowed the acknowledgment of other dignitaries.
This warm reception surprised many, given the strained relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso. In 2023, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic withdrew from ECOWAS—a bloc in which Ghana remains a key member—to form the Sahel Alliance.
Traoré’s actions at the event have generated mixed reactions on social media. While some praised his boldness and hailed his decision to attend despite political tensions, others criticised his heavily armed presence as disrespectful to his hosts.
Comparisons were drawn to his earlier visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he appeared without such a display of force.
Notably, Reno Omokri, a public commentator and ex-aide to former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, faulted Traoré appearance, blaming the Ghanaian protocol officers for not stopping him.
In a statement on his X account on Wednesday, Omokri said, “I do not blame the Burkinabe President, Ibrahim Traoré, for meeting the Ghanaian President, John Mahama, with a pistol and meeting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin without arms. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the Ghanaian protocol officers. Ibrahim Traoré would have had to oblige or be ignored if they had insisted that he be disarmed.
“President Obasanjo did that with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Abuja. When Gaddafi refused to disarm himself at the Abuja Airport on Tuesday, 28 November 2006, President Obasanjo intervened, and when faced with superior clout from Obasanjo, Gaddafi blinked and folded. That is what President Mahama’s protocol people should have done, and if they could not achieve it, President Mahama should have stepped in.
“Russia is very particular and meticulous about arms around its leader. Even touching him uninvited can trigger Putin’s bodyguards. We saw that last year in March when they almost physically attacked the then-Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, for daring to put his hand on Putin’s chest, until Putin stopped them with a hand gesture.
“African leaders should demand no less respect from their contemporaries, and their peers should willingly give it to them without being told. When you treat your fellow African leaders in a way that you would not treat Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, or Xi Jinping, you are sending out a boomerang that will come back to hit you.”
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