By Fresh Facts Magazine | Ouidah, Benin
The Republic of Benin has launched an ambitious citizenship initiative aimed at reconnecting Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral roots, a programme that has already drawn thousands of applications and the backing of acclaimed American filmmaker Spike Lee.
The initiative, known as “My Afro Origins,” forms part of President Patrice Talon’s broader strategy to raise Benin’s global profile by spotlighting its historical role in the transatlantic slave trade and transforming that painful legacy into a bridge for cultural reconnection, tourism, and diaspora engagement.
One of the new citizens, Isaline Attelly, a 28-year-old content creator from the Caribbean island of Martinique, said the programme gave personal meaning to her family history. Genealogical records confirmed that her maternal great-grandmother was born in what is now Benin before being forcibly taken across the Atlantic during the era of slavery.
“For me, it’s a source of pride. It feels like my journey has come full circle,” Attelly said after her naturalisation ceremony. “I am proud and very happy to be able to represent my ancestors.”
Reclaiming History Through Memory Projects
The first citizenship ceremonies have coincided with major heritage projects in Ouidah, one of West Africa’s most notorious departure points during the slave trade. Among them are a new symbolic “Door of No Return” and a replica of an 18th-century slave ship, featuring sculptures representing nearly 300 enslaved captives. Both projects are still under construction.
In addition, the Beninese government plans to open an International Museum of Memory and Slavery later this year at the former residence of Francisco Félix de Souza, a prominent slave trader in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Spike Lee, Ciara Lend Star Power
To amplify the programme’s reach, President Talon has enlisted global cultural figures. Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lee Lewis, were appointed ambassadors to the African-American community in 2025.
“Our brothers and sisters in Benin are telling us: come home, welcome us home, come back to the motherland,” Lee said in a recent interview.
American R&B star Ciara became one of the first high-profile beneficiaries of Beninese citizenship in July 2025. She recently performed in Ouidah during Benin’s annual voodoo festival, while her husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, indicated he also hopes to obtain citizenship.
Growing Interest, Strict Criteria
According to Benin’s Ministry of Justice, about 50 people have so far received citizenship under the programme, while thousands of applications are being processed, with roughly 100 new submissions daily.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari said applicants must be at least 18 years old, provide documentary or DNA evidence of African ancestry, and must not already hold citizenship of another African country.
At a ceremony held on December 27 in Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital, Attelly and nine others received their citizenship certificates, marking a symbolic homecoming decades—and in some cases centuries—in the making.
A Continental and Diaspora Vision
Benin’s initiative mirrors similar efforts elsewhere on the continent. Ghana, for example, has granted citizenship to 684 members of the African diaspora since launching its own programme in 2016.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has also endorsed a broader “right of return” for descendants of enslaved Africans as part of a reparations framework adopted in 2014, though large-scale resettlement efforts have yet to materialise.
Despite these challenges, Benin believes its approach can deepen ties between Africa and its global diaspora.
“We believe that Africa cannot develop without a strong involvement of its diaspora,” Bakari said. “What we are looking for is people who recognise themselves as African and can prove that they are part of this continent.”
For Benin, the “My Afro Origins” programme is not only about citizenship—it is about memory, identity, and redefining Africa’s relationship with its scattered descendants.
