Ouagadougou: The Municipality of Ouagadougou has named an avenue after the late Moustapha Laabli Thiombiano, a pioneer of private radio in Burkina Faso, in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the development of media and national culture. The avenue running alongside Bangr-Weoogo Urban Park, from the Mamadou Sanfo Military Intendant Bridge to the African Union Square, now bears the name of the late Moustapha Laabli Thiombiano.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the baptism ceremony took place in the presence of municipal authorities, members of the Thiombiano family, media figures, and guests who came to pay tribute to the memory of this man considered a visionary of Burkinabe audiovisual media. Born on October 16, 1946, in Fada N'Gourma, Moustapha Laabli Thiombiano had a rich and diverse career. After his primary education in his hometown, he undertook a language immersion program in Accra, Ghana, in 1960, where he worked as a census taker for the people of Upper Volta. Returning to Burkina Faso in 1965, he worked as a headmaster and English teacher at the National School of Administration.
Between 1970 and 1978, he lived in Canada where he worked as a life insurance agent while pursuing various training courses. His interest in media also led him to take courses with international radio stations, notably in the United States and at Voice of America. A visionary and pioneer, Moustapha Laabli Thiombiano made history in Burkinabe media by creating Horizon FM in 1991, the country's first private radio station. The station would later become a radio group with around ten stations spread across the country. In 2009, it also launched TVZ Africa television, further contributing to the diversification of Burkina Faso's audiovisual landscape.
Beyond the media, the man has distinguished himself through several cultural and sporting initiatives, including the Ouagadougou Moped Rally (RAMO), the pirogue race on the Tanghin No. 3 dam, the Ouaga Plage initiative, as well as the FESPACO and SIAO market street. Moustapha Laabli Thiombiano, who passed away on April 6, 2020, in Ouagadougou, leaves behind an important legacy in the field of communication and culture.
The municipal authorities praised the exceptional contribution of the deceased to the development of media and culture in Burkina Faso, considering that this avenue constitutes a symbol of the Nation's recognition towards one of its illustrious sons.