Speaking on the eve of an African Union summit in Accra June 30, Libyan leader Moammar Qadaffi called on the continent to unite under a single government. Declaring himself a "soldier for Africa," Qaddafi said AU leaders had not yet achieved the dream of unity voiced half a century ago by Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, leading icon of African independence and unity. "For Africa, the matter is to be or not to be," Qadaffi told a cheering audience of students, activists and local Muslim leaders at the University of Ghana. "My vision is to wake up the African leaders to unify our continent."

Flanked by female bodyguards in camouflage, Qadaffi wore dark glasses and a brown shirt emblazoned with images of Pan-African leaders and a map of the continent. Supporters shouted "African Union Now" and "African Government Now" in a hall decked with posters calling for unity.

Accra is the last stop in Qadaffi's week-long tour which took him to the West African capitals of Bamako, Conakry, Freetown and Abidjan. At each stop, Qadaffi held rallies calling for the establishment of a United States of Africa. "If the African masses are enlightened and aware and take the right decision, then Africa will come into being," he said. "Those at the summit should hear the voice of the masses." (Reuters, June 30)

Interesting that Qadaffi's call comes just as the Pentagon is establishing an Africa Command.

See our last post on Libya.