U.S. Singer Ciara Among First to Receive Benin Citizenship in Historic Outreach to Diaspora

AP | Grammy-winning artist Ciara has become one of the first high-profile beneficiaries of a landmark citizenship initiative by Benin, a West African nation offering nationality to descendants of enslaved Africans.

The singer was granted citizenship during a ceremony on Saturday in Cotonou, marking a pivotal moment in Benin’s broader effort to reconcile with its historical role in the transatlantic slave trade and strengthen ties with the African diaspora.

Launched in September, Benin’s new law grants citizenship to individuals over 18 who can prove ancestral ties to those forcibly taken from sub-Saharan Africa during the slave trade – provided they do not already hold citizenship in another African country. Acceptable evidence includes DNA test results, family records, and authenticated testimonies.

The government recently rolled out My Afro Origins, a digital platform streamlining the application process.

“By legally recognizing these children of Africa, Benin is healing a historical wound. It is an act of justice, but also one of belonging and hope,” said Justice Minister Yvon Detchenou at the ceremony.

Benin holds a significant place in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. An estimated 1.5 million people were deported from the Bight of Benin – encompassing modern-day Benin, Togo, and parts of Nigeria – to the Americas.

Local kingdoms collaborated with European traders, including the Portuguese, French, and British, in capturing and selling enslaved people – a fact the nation has openly acknowledged, setting it apart from many other African countries.

Since the 1990s, Benin has led efforts to confront this legacy. In 1999, then-President Mathieu Kérékou issued a public apology to African Americans during a visit to Baltimore.

The country has also invested in “memorial tourism,” promoting historical sites tied to slavery.

In Ouidah – one of the continent’s most active slave ports – visitors walk the Slave Route, ending at the symbolic “Door of No Return,” a seaside archway representing the final step Africans took on their native soil.

Following her citizenship ceremony, Ciara visited Ouidah, walking the route and reflecting on her ancestral journey.

“Between emotion, reflection, and heritage, I experienced a profound return to what truly matters,” the singer said.

Best known for hits like “Goodies” and “Level Up,” Ciara is celebrated for her music, fashion influence, and philanthropy. Her citizenship underscores growing interest among members of the Black diaspora in reclaiming African roots.

Benin’s initiative not only offers a path to citizenship but also invites descendants to reconnect with history, identity, and homeland – turning remembrance into reconciliation.