Malema Calls for African Unity at Nigeria Bar Conference

ENUGU, NIGERIA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called on Africans to unite and work towards building “one Africa,” urging the continent to take its place as an equal player on the global stage.

Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual Conference in Enugu on Sunday, Malema said Africa should reject the narrative of being a “dark continent.”

“We must stand together as the world changes and show that Africa is one, and that Africa is equal to all nations to China, to Russia, to America,” Malema declared. “We are not a small nation. We are a big nation. We are not a dark continent. How can we be dark when we have diamonds shining among us? We are a shining nation.”

Malema argued that Africa’s land was stolen during colonialism and apartheid and must be returned to its rightful owners without compensation. He further noted that Africans have for centuries been denied dignity, rights, and justice.

“To be African has meant that for generations, we were not worthy of the laws and rights that make us human. For that reason, it was legal to abuse us, to enslave us,” he said.

The EFF leader also challenged Africans to reject xenophobia and instead embrace solidarity across borders. “We must prove to the whole world that we are not xenophobic; we love one another. Black people are not loved in Africa, and they are not loved outside Africa either,” he added.

On Palestine
Turning to international issues, Malema condemned Israel’s actions in Palestine, describing them as among the “gravest violations of international law in modern history.” He cited land grabs, the bombing of hospitals, killings of children, and deliberate starvation as crimes that fall under the Rome Statute.

He compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid in South Africa, saying it must be recognised globally as such. Malema welcomed South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice but criticised the slow pace of international justice, which he said reflects bias.

“The system acts swiftly against leaders from the Global South but drags its feet when it comes to Western powers and their allies,” he said.