Ibrahim Traoré, the leader of Burkina Faso, has banned judges from donning wigs that are symbolic of colonial French and British outfits. Colonial-era wigs have long been associated with foreign dominance in African legal systems.
However, according to The African Dream, President Traoré stressed in his proclamation the need to forgo colonial traditions and adopt culturally authentic practices instead. This ban is a crucial step in the process of decolonizing the country’s legal system and is a component of his broader initiative to promote a feeling of national identity.
Burkina Faso has now joined countries such as Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia in taking steps to ban the usage of wigs.
This is only one of several reforms implemented in the country since he took office. Under his leadership, Burkina Faso has distanced itself from France, a former colonial power and longtime ally.
Burkina Faso’s military government publicly declared the termination of its military pact with France in January 2023, causing around 400 French special forces personnel to leave the country.
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The Burkinabè government also reportedly passed a bill in December of that same year that revised its constitution and made native languages official languages, replacing French, which had been demoted to “working language.”
According to the Council of Ministers’ report, this measure was part of the implementation of one of the transition’s key tasks, which is to initiate political, administrative, and institutional reforms to improve the democratic culture and strengthen the rule of law.
