Ciara's Benin Citizenship: A Symbol of Historical Reconciliation

US singer Ciara has become one of the first public figures to receive citizenship in Benin, a small West African country, due to a new law granting citizenship to descendants of enslaved people. This initiative aims to attract the Black diaspora and acknowledge Benin's historical role in the transatlantic slave trade.

The Grammy-winning performer was granted citizenship during a ceremony in Cotonou, reflecting Benin's broader strategy to promote tourism centered around slavery-related sites of remembrance. Justice Minister Yvon Détchénou remarked, "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."

Benin's Afro-descendant citizenship law provides citizenship to those tracing their lineage to the slave trade, provided they meet criteria such as not holding other African citizenship and proving ancestral deportation from sub-Saharan Africa. The government has launched My Afro Origins, a digital platform to streamline application processing, highlighting Benin's proactive stance in acknowledging and addressing its historical past.

(With inputs from agencies.)