South African political activist Julius Malema has urged African nations to unite against external forces seeking to divide and exploit them.

Mr Malema made the call on Sunday at the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

He warned that Africa must never allow imperialist forces to divide the continent, stressing the need to resist those determined to exploit its land and resources.

“We want the land of Africa returned to Africans. We want African minerals restored to the continent because they belong to our people,” he declared.

Mr Malema, founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, also stressed the need to build industries in Africa to process its natural resources locally. According to him, Africa possesses the capacity to industrialise and must stop the continuous extraction of its resources by imperialist forces bent on maintaining dominance.

He demanded a borderless continent. “We want one Africa — with one president, one currency, one military command and one parliament,” he said.

He argued that a unified African currency would be stronger than the American dollar, adding, “We are not subjects of foreign policies.” 

Mr Malema urged Africans to present themselves as one people, equal to world powers such as China, Russia, and America, and not as a fragmented continent.

“We are not a dark continent. How can we be dark when diamonds shine among us? We are a shining nation,” he said.

He regretted that Africa had endured imperialist exploitation for too long, insisting that Pan-African solidarity was the only sustainable path forward.

“Our salvation will not come from Washington, London, Brussels, or Beijing. It lies in Africa itself,” the activist stated.

Mr Malema called for stronger Nigeria-South Africa cooperation to transform the African Continental Free Trade Area from a mere document into a reality that improves citizens’ lives.

“Together, we can demand fair trade, protect industries, and invest in education, technology, and innovation. Africa is not a begging power but a continent of giants,” he said.

He further emphasised that Africans must reject xenophobia, love one another, and build unity to teach the world how to respect the continent.

“We cannot mistreat one another and expect outsiders to treat us better. The unity of Africa is paramount,” Mr Malema added.

(NAN)