Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president and a leading Pan-Africanist. While the exact date of this statement isn't always cited, it aligns with his philosophy during the struggle for African unity in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly around the time of Ghana's independence (1957) and the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963).
Context & Why He Said It:
1. Pan-Africanism – Nkrumah believed deeply in the unity of Africa, arguing that colonialism had artificially divided the continent. This quote reflects his view that shared African identity, culture, and anti-colonial solidarity were “natural bonds” stronger than the borders and divisions imposed by European powers.
2. Against Neo-Colonialism– He warned that even after independence, external forces (like former colonial powers and Cold War interference) would try to keep Africa divided. His call for unity was a resistance to these "superimposed influences."
3. OAU Speeches & Writings – Similar themes appear in his speeches at the 1963 OAU founding conference in Addis Ababa, where he pushed for a United States of Africa against more cautious, gradualist approaches.
4. Book References – The sentiment echoes his works like "Africa Must Unite" (1963) and "Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism" (1965
), where he argued that only political and economic unity could ensure true liberation.