Kanel

Biodata

History

Opposition to the Cotton Policy

Kanel was a major cotton-growing landlord whose family controlled nearly a tenth of Burkina’s arable land. The National Security Committee regarded him as the most likely leading opponent of Sankara’s agricultural reforms 38 39.

He resented the government’s ban on cotton exports to France and its purchase price of 200,000 North African francs per ton, compared with the at least 240,000 francs previously offered by French merchants. Other landlords calculated that the change would reduce his annual income by 2.7 billion francs 38.

Kanel also considered his reception by a government official a personal insult, believing that his French knighthood entitled him to meet Sankara directly. In reality, Sankara did not know he existed; Agriculture Minister Ameli had delegated the meeting to an official 37.

Gabriel and other landlords gathered at Kanel’s house, appealing to his vanity and emphasizing his projected losses. Kanel failed to recognize Gabriel’s manipulation and agreed to lead resistance against the policy 38.

Terrorist Plot

Kanel decided to arrange attacks in Dugagu intended to cause heavy civilian casualties. The conspirators planned to associate the violence with the new agricultural policies, turn public opinion against the government, and force Sankara or the Ministry of Agriculture to withdraw the reforms 41.

The National Security Committee uncovered the plot and worked with the Ministry of Public Security to stop the hired attackers immediately before they struck. Sankara subsequently ordered the arrest of every landlord in Kanel’s group, including those who had not participated in the attacks, and assigned the 3rd and 6th Infantry Brigades to assist 41.

Armed Resistance and Capture

After learning that their hired men had been arrested, Kanel’s associates urged caution. He dismissed their fears, claiming that Sankara’s elite troops were away in Nijia and that each privately funded gunman could defeat four or five government recruits. He also threatened to replace Sankara as president 42.

Police and soldiers surrounded Nayafaso Village. A messenger reported at least a thousand personnel and more than a dozen armored vehicles, with a five-minute demand for Kanel’s surrender. Kanel instead ordered his guards to arm themselves and assemble at the village entrance 42.

Within half an hour, Kanel and the other landlords were prisoners. His associates blamed him for the resistance and testified to his insults against Sankara. When Kanel denied his boasts, an army major confronted him and punched him hard enough to knock out several teeth. The prisoners were then taken away in military vehicles 43.

Trial and Execution

A newspaper read aloud by Aaron reported that government forces had killed 474 armed terrorists in Nayafaso Village and arrested Kanel with fifty-four others. According to the report, all fifty-five prisoners were tried by the Supreme Court and executed by firing squad 44.

The same newspaper identified Kanel as a backer of the National Liberation Alliance and presented the Dugagu plot as an attempt to influence the fighting at the front. Its claim that the foiled attack caused no casualties differed from Kroko’s earlier report that four civilians suffered minor scrapes 41 44.

Appearance

• Build: Extremely fat, with his body visibly shaking when he shouted 37 42.
• Teeth: Yellowed; several were knocked out during his capture 37 43.
• Breath: Strongly tainted by tobacco, making close conversation unpleasant for Gabriel 37.
• Clothing and accessories: Wore a goose-down coat and wool vest in winter and carried a silk handkerchief 42.

Personality

Kanel combined cruelty toward serfs with an insistence that he was kindhearted. He whipped starving laborers for burning fallen branches to keep warm, then spared their fire only because freezing would diminish their usefulness as workers. He cited his regular church attendance as evidence of his goodness 37.

He was vain about his wealth, foreign connections, and knighthood. Praise delighted him, while perceived disrespect provoked disproportionate anger. Gabriel exploited these traits to push him into confronting Sankara 37 38.

His confidence depended heavily on his private gunmen. Before the government intervention, he boasted about their superiority; after capture, he became frightened and denied making the statements his fellow landlords attributed to him 42 43.

Wealth and Resources

Relationships

• Gabriel — Fellow landlord who flattered Kanel and deliberately inflamed his anger, hoping he would take the lead against Sankara 37 38.
• Ahro Sankara — Political enemy. Kanel opposed his cotton policy, resented being denied a personal audience, and ultimately ordered armed resistance to his forces 37 38 42.
• Other landlords — Co-conspirators who encouraged his opposition but blamed him once captured 38 42 43.
• Serfs — Exploited laborers whom he treated as expendable working animals rather than people 37.

Notable Quotes

“Hah—if I, who regularly attend church services, am not kindhearted, are you saying you are, Gabriel?!” 37

“Today, I’ll fucking make him see whose guns are stronger!” 42