South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema, has called for the unification of Africa under a single president, parliament, currency, and military command.
Speaking on Sunday at the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference in Enugu, the 44-year-old politician urged African leaders to dismantle colonial boundaries and pursue a borderless continent.
“We demand one Africa, we demand a borderless Africa, we demand an Africa with one president, one currency, one military command, with one parliament,” Malema declared before thousands of lawyers and dignitaries in attendance.
He stressed that Africa’s unity must be paramount, insisting that a united currency would be stronger against global currencies, including the dollar. “We don’t care what Donald Trump or any other leader thinks of us. Africans must refuse to be subjects of others. We must stand together as the world changes and show the world that Africa is one and equal to all nations,” he said.
Rejecting the tag of Africa as a “dark continent,” Malema described it instead as a shining land richly endowed with resources capable of driving prosperity. He urged African nations to build industries, process their minerals locally, and resist imperialist divisions.
“We must make sure that no single corner of Africa witnesses Africans killing each other. We must unite against the forces that seek to exploit us,” he added.
Malema further demanded visa-free movement across the continent, saying Africans should not need visas to visit one another. “Our salvation lies here, in Lagos and Johannesburg, in Abuja and Pretoria, in the hands of Africans who refuse to be divided,” he said.
Identifying Nigeria and South Africa as pivotal to Africa’s industrialisation and development, Malema praised Nigeria for its role in supporting South Africa during the apartheid struggle. He urged both nations to lead the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) towards uplifting ordinary citizens.
The firebrand EFF leader also cautioned against reckless borrowing, stressing that loans from the World Bank and other international lenders must be strictly regulated to safeguard Africa’s future.