The President of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has called on African leaders to dismantle colonial-era borders and unite the continent under a single leadership, currency, parliament, and military command.
Malema made the appeal on Sunday while addressing thousands of lawyers and dignitaries at the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference held in Enugu.
“We demand one Africa. We demand a borderless Africa. We demand an Africa with one president, one currency, one military command, and one parliament,” Malema declared to loud applause.
Advocating for a unified continent that speaks with one voice, the 44-year-old politician argued that a single African currency would be stronger than the U.S. dollar and better serve the interests of the continent’s people.
“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 that Africa is one, and equal to all nations,” he added.
Malema also challenged the long-standing stereotype of Africa as a “dark continent,” pointing to its vast natural wealth and untapped potential. He emphasized the need for African nations to stop exporting raw materials and instead process their resources locally.
“We are a shining nation,” he said. “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. The land belongs to Africans, and the minerals of Africa must be returned to Africans.”
He concluded by urging African governments to reject division and exploitation by external powers, asserting that the continent has the capacity to build its own industries, create wealth, and chart an independent future.
