Mouhoun: On the occasion of the 2026 New Year, cultural figure Fidele Toe delivered a message imbued with patriotism and a commitment to traditional values. He called for national unity, support for the armed forces, and the revitalization of the social fabric, the key to a peaceful and harmonious Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the cultural figure Fidele Toe paid a vibrant tribute to the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) as well as the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), whose commitment and sacrifices allow the country to continue its activities despite adversity.
He called on all Burkinabe, men and women, to stand together behind these fighters, an essential condition, according to him, for a lasting restoration of peace.
Addressing the issue of social cohesion, the cultural figure expressed his deep concern about the progressive disintegration of the social fabric, which he attributes in particular to the abandonment of traditions and the loss of identity markers.
He urged older people to fully embrace their role as keepers of memory, passing on to younger generations the history, identity and values of their communities.
Fidele Toe has, for this purpose, invited the various traditional social components such as blacksmiths, griots, land chiefs, gravediggers and others to proudly assume their functions, which he considers complementary and indispensable to the balance of society.
Rejecting any stigmatization wrongly associated with castes, he insisted on the dignity and social utility of each traditional role, citing in particular land chiefs and griots as guardians of the land and collective memory.
Welcoming the initiative of the national authorities, Mr. Toe congratulated the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, and his government for the institution of the Day of Traditions, which he considers a welcome recognition of the importance of endogenous values in building peace and social cohesion.
For him, social cohesion has always existed within traditional Burkinabe societies, founded on community life and solidarity, before being weakened by the breakdown of the social fabric and the primacy given to material goods.
He noted that social practices, particularly the strong mobilization around funerals, still testify to these deep ties that unite communities.
The cultural figure, Fidele Toe, expressed his hope that 2026 would be a year of work, awareness, and a return to peace in Burkina Faso.
He called for honoring the land, "Mother Earth," the source of life and wealth, while imploring the blessing of God and the spirits of the ancestors for a future of stability and national harmony.