The book, composed of sixteen poems divided into three main sections—Lamentations, Resilience, and Hope—offers a poetic reflection on the personal and collective struggles faced by the author and his compatriots.
Speaking during the event, Ouédraogo emphasized the importance of keeping faith in the face of adversity. “Every Burkinabe must believe that the war against terrorism will one day come to an end,” he said. “And I can already feel that end drawing near.”
The collection is deeply rooted in the author’s own experiences as a soldier on the frontlines. He was inspired to write following the tragic events in Arbinda on August 18, 2018. His most emotional poem, The Attack of August 18, 2021, in Arbinda, revisits those memories of loss and courage.
“It’s the poem that means the most to me because I lived it,” he explained. “Even now, I’m not sure the words I used fully capture what I felt. But writing was my way of facing it.”
Ouédraogo began working on the collection shortly after losing his battle partner during the attack. He said writing became a way to honor that memory. “I realized it was important to put it down in words. Spoken words fade, but writing remains,” he said. His passion for storytelling, he added, began in childhood and grew out of a desire to share truth and meaning.
During the launch, Abdou Moumouni Ouédraogo, Secretary of the Interministerial Committee on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law—and the event’s patron—praised the author’s courage and authenticity.
“This book is more than a literary work—it’s a piece of the author’s soul, forged in the fire of experience,” he said. “Through Under the Star of the Sahel, he sings of pain and hope, bravery and tenderness, the wounds of the Sahel but also its unbreakable spirit.”
He described the book as “a hand extended to the collective conscience, an invitation to see the Sahel not only as a land of hardship but as a space of hope, resilience, and dignity.”
Under the Star of the Sahel will soon be available in libraries, bookstores, and select shops across Burkina Faso at a price of 3,000 FCFA.
Gendarme Abdoul Rasmané Wendpakisdé Ouédraogo has officially entered Burkina Faso’s literary scene with the release of his debut poetry collection, Under the Star of the Sahel. The launch ceremony took place on Monday, November 3, 2025, in Ouagadougou.
The book, composed of sixteen poems divided into three main sections—Lamentations, Resilience, and Hope—offers a poetic reflection on the personal and collective struggles faced by the author and his compatriots.
Speaking during the event, Ouédraogo emphasized the importance of keeping faith in the face of adversity. “Every Burkinabe must believe that the war against terrorism will one day come to an end,” he said. “And I can already feel that end drawing near.”
The collection is deeply rooted in the author’s own experiences as a soldier on the frontlines. He was inspired to write following the tragic events in Arbinda on August 18, 2018. His most emotional poem, The Attack of August 18, 2021, in Arbinda, revisits those memories of loss and courage.
“It’s the poem that means the most to me because I lived it,” he explained. “Even now, I’m not sure the words I used fully capture what I felt. But writing was my way of facing it.”
Ouédraogo began working on the collection shortly after losing his battle partner during the attack. He said writing became a way to honor that memory. “I realized it was important to put it down in words. Spoken words fade, but writing remains,” he said. His passion for storytelling, he added, began in childhood and grew out of a desire to share truth and meaning.
During the launch, Abdou Moumouni Ouédraogo, Secretary of the Interministerial Committee on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law—and the event’s patron—praised the author’s courage and authenticity.
“This book is more than a literary work—it’s a piece of the author’s soul, forged in the fire of experience,” he said. “Through Under the Star of the Sahel, he sings of pain and hope, bravery and tenderness, the wounds of the Sahel but also its unbreakable spirit.”
He described the book as “a hand extended to the collective conscience, an invitation to see the Sahel not only as a land of hardship but as a space of hope, resilience, and dignity.”
Under the Star of the Sahel will soon be available in libraries, bookstores, and select shops across Burkina Faso at a price of 3,000 FCFA.
About the author
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