Former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly and 2023 Governorship candidate, Hon. Ike Ibe has called for the introduction of a single currency across Africa and renewed advocacy for a permanent seat for African nations at the United Nations.
Speaking on Radio Nigeria’s international affairs program, Ibe emphasized the need for African nations to strengthen unity and economic independence.
He also addressed the growing political instability in West Africa, particularly the recent decisions by Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to withdraw from regional organizations.
According to him, this trend could set a dangerous precedent for other nations.
“They left because they want to decide their destinies,” he stated, warning that such isolationist moves could further fragment the continent.
Ibe highlighted the African Union’s (AU) role in fostering unity and ensuring that Africa no longer serves as a mere partition ground for Western powers.
He stressed that it was time for African nations to look inward, embrace nationalism, and work toward self-sufficiency.
“For many years, Africa has continued to beg for a permanent seat at the UN,” he lamented, adding that the AU’s leadership must take decisive steps toward securing Africa’s rightful place in global governance.
He described Africa as the next major resource hub of the world, particularly in human capital, and urged leaders to harness the continent’s potential rather than allowing external forces to dictate its affairs.
Hon. Ibe also pushed for the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), arguing that it would reduce the need for young Africans to seek opportunities outside the continent at great personal risk.
He called on the newly appointed AU chairperson, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, to take a strong stance against Africa’s continued economic dependence on Western nations.
“The AU must end the servant-master relationship between Africa and the West,” he asserted.
Ibe insisted that with Africa’s vast untapped market and resources, it is time for leaders to act decisively in shaping the continent’s economic and political future.
