Between the time he became prime minister of Upper Volta while it was still a French colony and independence two years later, opposition parties were subjected to increased harassment.

Under the direction of Sankara, the country changed its name on 4 August 1984, from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, which means "Land of Incorruptible People".

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.

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.

During the 1960s, the Soviet Union was sometimes derisively referred to as "Upper Volta with rockets",[8] coined by a journalist Xan Smiley,[9] referencing USSR's disproportion of defence sector over relatively undeveloped civilian economy.