South African opposition leader Julius Malema delivered a powerful address on Sunday, advocating for a single, unified African state with one president, one currency and a single military command. Speaking at the Nigeria Bar Association’s Annual General Conference, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party urged the continent’s leaders to dismantle colonial-era borders to foster greater continental unity.
Malema argued that Africa, with its 54 sovereign nations and immense human and mineral resources, has the potential to become a global economic powerhouse if it unites. “We demand one Africa, we demand a borderless Africa, we demand an Africa with one president, one currency, one military command, with one parliament,” he stated to thousands of lawyers and other attendees.
Dismissing the label of “dark continent,” Malema insisted that Africa has the capacity to create its own industries and process its own resources rather than allowing external powers to exploit them. He also called for visa-free travel for all Africans across the continent, emphasizing that no African should need a visa to visit another African country.
Malema praised Nigeria’s historical support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, urging both nations to lead the charge for the African Continental Free Trade Area. He also warned African governments against reckless borrowing from international lenders like the World Bank, calling for stricter regulations to protect the continent’s economic sovereignty.
“We must never allow imperialist forces to divide us in order to take our wealth,” Malema declared. “Our salvation lies here, in Lagos and Johannesburg, in Abuja and Pretoria, in the hands of Africans who refuse to be divided.”
This is not the first time Malema has advocated for a unified Africa, but his remarks at the high-profile Nigerian conference highlight his ongoing campaign to push for a borderless, politically, and economically integrated continent.
