The Kingdom of Banfora is in the west of the former Republic of Upper Volta The Kingdom appeared after the revolution and subsequent collapse of the the old Republic of Upper Volta in 1985. The Kingdom was brought into being by 36th Emperor and his Mossi people followers in 1992. He, along with his direct family, had fled to Banfora in 1984 after the ruthless and destructive crackdown by former President Sankara in the old Republic. It grew to prominence in the west over a period of 10 years and by late 1995 had become the largest of the city states in western former Republic.