- Ciara receives Beninese citizenship in symbolic ceremony
- Benin joins Ghana and Guinea-Bissau in diaspora outreach
- Spike Lee and wife named official diaspora envoys
American singer Ciara has become one of the first high-profile figures to receive Beninese citizenship under a new law that grants nationality to descendants of enslaved Africans.
In a post on Instagram, the Grammy-winning artist expressed her gratitude, writing:
“I’m honoured. Thank you, Benin, for opening your arms and your heart to me.”
The citizenship program is part of a broader initiative by Benin to strengthen ties with the African diaspora and promote cultural tourism.
Ciara, known for hits like Goodies and 1, 2 Step, was officially granted citizenship during a ceremony in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city.
Following the event, the Beninese government issued a statement highlighting the symbolic significance of the gesture:
“This act is symbolic, humane, and historic—not merely administrative. It is a return to one’s roots, a hand extended to those whom history, in its cruelty, tore from this land.”
The development follows the enactment of the My Afro Origins Law in 2024, which offers citizenship to individuals with ancestral links to victims of the transatlantic slave trade. With this law, Benin joins countries like Ghana and Guinea-Bissau in welcoming diaspora descendants home. Applications can be submitted via a dedicated government website.
Just last week, Benin also appointed renowned filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, a producer and author, as its official ambassadors to African-Americans in the U.S.
Benin’s coastline was once part of the infamous Slave Coast, a major departure point for enslaved Africans sent across the Atlantic. From 1580 to 1727, the Kingdom of Whydah, located in present-day Benin, is believed to have trafficked over one million Africans to the Americas, including the U.S., Caribbean, and Brazil.
