Babemba Traoré

Babemba Traoré was a king of the Kénédougou Empire. Following the 1893 death of his brother Tieba Traoré, Babemba assumed the Kénédougou throne. The capital, Sikasso, was beset at this time by both the Mandinka forces of Samory Touré and by the rapidly advancing French colonial army. The neighboring Toucouleur Empire's capital at Ségou had fallen to the French the previous year, leaving the French free to focus on subduing the Kénédougou.

In April 1898, the French began a major artillery barrage against Sikasso's walls; the city itself fell on May 1, 1898. Rather than surrender to the French, Babemba ordered his guards to kill him, an action still celebrated in Mali today. Samory Touré was captured in September of the same year, marking the effective end of West African resistance to French rule.

Mansa Douala, Traoré was the father of Tieba Traore, Babemba (Bangaly Traore), and Sillatequi Traore and others. Tieba Traore was the youngest brother of Babemba Traore and Sillatequi(spelling) Traore, and after the war, and calm returned to Kenedougou the two elder brothers set out on a new journey in two different directions, for farming, the now Guinea direction and the now Burkina Faso direction, leaving Tieba Traore the youngest home with his mother, the youngest of the wives. Tieba Traore was left in charge of the family home with his mother, but realizing that his mother was not happy in Duru (spelling), he took off to his mother's home, Sikasso, Mali where he was warmly welcomed by his uncles and maternal family. Because of the status of the family, he was received as the head of the Traore, and the town Sikasso became the new headquarter of the Traore. He became a fearless warrior defending his people. He built a strong force in Sikasso and later the Tata (the wall) when it was heard that Samori Toure and his men were passing through Sikasso. Samori and his men arrived in Sikasso en route for an all out assault, he requested that the people of Sikasso give him 43 men and 43 women to take his war material and food to the battle ground, which Tieba Traore and his men refused, because they were ready to fight Samori Toure. Samori Toure and men could not enter the Tata (the wall) because it was fortified and any attempt by Toure and men could have resulted in a blood bath. Toure decided to take a chance by waiting at the Mamelon with his men where they survived on fruit's seeds. The seeds became trees and are a part of Sikasso's history. Samori Toure could not penetrate the town of Sikasso because of the wall. The people had already made sacrifice, making sure that they maintained control of the city of Sikasso. In the end, no war took place between Samouri Toure and Tieba Traore.

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