Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has called on African youth to lead the charge in freeing the continent from the grip of neo-colonialism, urging them to embrace Pan-Africanism and South-South cooperation as tools for real transformation.

Delivering a rousing address at Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul as part of Africa Union Day celebrations, Mr Mubarak stressed that Africa's future lies not in foreign prescriptions, but in homegrown leadership that prioritises the continent’s dignity, unity, and self-reliance.

“You are not the leaders of tomorrow. You are the leaders of now,” he told an audience made up mostly of African students. “If you don’t lead, others will keep misleading.”

He lamented the enduring effects of colonial systems that continue to hinder African progress, highlighting the irony of high airfares within Africa and trade routes that prioritise Europe over neighbouring African countries.

“It is outrageous that goods from Ghana must first go to Europe before reaching Liberia, even though Accra to Monrovia is under 500 kilometres away,” he said. “This is not logistics — this is the legacy of a colonial system that was never dismantled, only rebranded.”

Mubarak also criticised African governments’ lack of political will, particularly in achieving regional integration goals such as ECOWAS’s long-delayed single currency, the Eco.

“I was a teenager when that conversation began. I’ll be 46 next month, and ECOWAS leaders are still talking,” he remarked. Touching on global alliances, the former MP urged Africa to seek genuine partnerships beyond traditional Western powers.

“While we look to Africa for homegrown solutions, it is also time for us to shift our gaze to the East — to the Global South — where we can find partners who understand our struggles and are willing to collaborate as equals,” he said, citing countries like China, Russia, and Brazil.

He praised the emerging leadership in parts of the Sahel region, singling out Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Ibrahim Traoré, as an example of bold African leadership committed to reclaiming sovereignty.

“He is not celebrated because he seized power. He is celebrated because he is using power to serve, not to submit,” Mubarak said. While reaffirming the importance of democracy, he stressed that real democracy must deliver dignity and independence, not just regular elections.

“The Sahelian wave is not instability; it is clarity. It is not a rebellion; it is a rebirth,” he declared.

Calling for a revival of Pan-Africanism, Mubarak said Africa must begin to trust in its own systems, knowledge, and people.

“We have been taught to believe that Western ways are superior. That is nonsense. That’s a lie. That’s brainwashing.”

He also called for deeper solidarity among African countries, particularly on the issue of visa-free travel across the continent.

“Why should a Ghanaian need a visa to visit Botswana? What’s the point of African unity if we can’t even move freely among ourselves?”

In an emotionally charged conclusion, Mubarak urged Africans to stand with Palestine in their struggle against Israeli occupation, describing Israel as a “gangster terrorist entity”.

“Africans, who have been through slavery, colonialism, and neocolonialism, should understand better the oppression of Palestinians,” he said. “Without apology, I say this — Israel is a gangster terrorist entity whose leaders must face justice for war crimes.”

Mubarak’s message was ultimately one of hope, resilience, and responsibility.

“The task of resetting Africa rests with all of us. There is hope, my friends. If we are all Ibrahim Traoré, or Nkrumah, Acheampong, and Lumumba — we can bring hope to where there is despair.”

He ended with a call for Africa’s youth to rise as “authors of history,” not just its witnesses.