Who was Thomas Sankara?

[Flying Purple People Eater]

After reading some articles and books on West African history I keep seeing him referred to as an 'African Guevara'. Who was he? I know he was involved with Burkina Faso's war for independence but I don't know anything else about him.

What do you think about him? Was he a marxist, or was he just looking for Soviet economic support?

[Rafiq]

Quite progressive within the context of African politics. Personally noble and admirable. A good bourgeois revolutionary.