A legendary sign painter from the Mossi people, Rasmané was born in 1946 in the town of Sapomé, 140 km from Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso (then Upper Volta).  He sometimes used the initails NRD, for his family name, Nikéma, his name Rasmané, followed by his profession, "Dessinateur".  During his painting career he produced work in Togo and the Ivory Coast as well as Burkina Faso.