Michel Bossofa Somé, former director, designer and producer at Radiodiffusion-télévision du Burkina (RTB), died on July 21, 2025 on the age of 71. “Distinctive man,” “music library,” “pioneer of video clips”; this, amongst different issues, is what a few of his shut collaborators and admirers keep in mind about him. Their testimonies
El Tafa Siboné, Cultural Animator: “He was an distinctive particular person”
“Michel Bossofa Somé was an distinctive particular person, each professionally and socially. Professionally, he was endowed with immeasurable potential. In actuality, he was a number of potentialities in a single particular person, as a result of past his career as a director, he may do the picture and sound recording and enhancing for a present or a music video himself. On a social stage, he was brimming with humanity; he helped many individuals, even these he did not know, with out anticipating something in return. He had a gorgeous soul. The person instilled in me invaluable values. His passing is a loss for Burkina Faso and even Africa. We pray for the repose of his soul.”
Hervé Honla, cultural journalist: “A legacy of Burkinabe music has left us”
“Michel Bossofa is among the media figures, or quite, the media character, who restored Burkinabe music to its former glory on Burkina Faso’s nationwide tv. I keep in mind him as somebody who was profoundly truthful, brave, and rigorous. But additionally very sociable and deeply connected to his tradition. Personally, Michel all the time supported and inspired me rather a lot. He all the time defended me in public in entrance of individuals and by no means hesitated to inform me to proceed on the identical path. A legacy of Burkinabe music has left us.”
Évariste Combary, Director of RTB’s Thematic Channels: “He was the pioneer of music movies in Burkina Faso”
“I first noticed Michel Bossofa Somé in 1993 after I was on the College of Ouagadougou. I keep in mind he arrived on the college that day in a automobile with music taking part in. As an artwork and communications scholar, we later went to the tv station, and that is the place I used to be capable of meet him. He is somebody who’s impulsive at first look however holds no grudges, able to share his information. Once we discuss Burkinabe music, we have now to say Michel Bossofa. Once we discuss music movies in Burkina Faso, it is his title that ought to come up. He is the daddy, the pioneer of music movies, in my view. It is true that there are different administrators on tv who made movies, however I believe he performed an important function on this discipline.” A present like Reemdogo is him. I used to be fortunate sufficient to take part alongside him in casting requires presenters after I arrived on nationwide tv. Nationwide Present is him. Télé Agenda can be him. He gave plenty of himself to music; he was a musician himself. Bossofa’s final look on a tv present was in December on the Zenith Clip Awards (ZECA). We paid tribute to him by awarding him a certificates for the pioneer he’s in music video manufacturing in Burkina. Our deepest condolences to his household, and we’ll all the time hold him in our hearts.
Marius Diessongo, cultural journalist: “He contributed rather a lot to the world of present enterprise”
“He is a picture and sound technician as a result of he skilled in Burkina Faso and Europe. He determined to dedicate himself to music as a result of it is his ardour. Through the Revolution, alongside along with his brother Valère Somé, they supported Captain Thomas Sankara in audiovisual manufacturing devoted to music. He is a pal of artists. He is a really passionate man. He demonstrated this by creating the primary selection present, Reemdogo, in Burkina Faso. It was an awesome success. He is a pioneer in music video manufacturing, which has helped many artists. He contributed rather a lot to the world of present enterprise in Burkina Faso. Could he relaxation in peace.”
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