Why has Burkina Faso's military leader, IBRAHIM TRAORE, garnered such adulation? That's a question for renowned investigative journalist DAVID HUNDEYIN, who replies that the young captain, he's 37, symbolises a break from the status quo and offers hope to a youthful continent whose people yearn for a hero.

Who, or what, is behind the social media tsunami that surrounds CAPTAIN TRAORE? We consider whether the multitude of social media posts extolling the often-otherworldly virtues of him are true or fake. Many of them use images and sound that are clearly fabricated by AI - like 'Beyonce' weeping as she prays for the protection of her 'king'.

We consider whether such fantastical excesses could actually undermine TRAORE, as they serve to blur further the line between fact and fiction. We also question why we hear so few Burkinabe voices on the matter.

DAVID suggests the Burkinabe authorities would do well to take firmer control of their own narrative.

Impressive claims are made about the rule of CAPTAIN TRAORE, like ending all taxation and undertaking extensive road building. But what about the security situation? Reports suggest that government control extends to just a third of the country. The rest, they say, is in the grip of various Islamist groups with many people displace from their villages.

What is needed, PATRICK says, is robust reporting by independent journalists from inside Burkina Faso to establish the facts. DAVID says objectivity in journalism does not exist - everyone has an interest, a bias.

DONU raises the inherent dangers of a cult of personality. DAVID suggests that there are limited benefits from democratic systems of government in Africa - economic freedom is what really matters.

PATRICK SMITH is Editor of Africa Confidential

DONU KOGBARA is a journalist and commentator based in Nigeria.

We were talking with DAVID HUNDEYIN, Editor of West Africa Weekly