US singer Ciara has become one of the first public figures to be granted citizenship of Benin, under a new law offering nationality to the descendants of slaves.<\/p>\n
In an Instagram post the Grammy award-winner said she was “honoured”, adding “thank you Benin for opening your arms and your heart to me”.<\/p>\n
The citizenship scheme is part of an initiative by the small West African country to build ties with the African diaspora and boost cultural tourism.<\/p>\n
Ciara, known for R&B and pop hits such as Goodies and 1,2 Step, officially became a citizen at a ceremony in the city of Cotonou. <\/p>\n
“This act, which is symbolic, humane and historic, is not merely an administrative gesture. It is a gesture of the soul, a return to one’s roots, a hand extended to those whom history, in its brutality, had torn from this land,” the government said in a statement on Monday, following the ceremony.<\/p>\n
By enacting the My Afro Origins Law last year, Benin joined countries like Ghana and Guinea-Bissau in offering citizenship to people with an African ancestor who was taken from their homeland as part of the transatlantic slave trade.<\/p>\n
Descendants can apply to become a citizen via a recently launched website<\/a>.<\/p>\n