Ciara Traces Her Roots to Benin Republic 

American singer Ciara has officially traced her roots to the Benin Republic, and on July 26, 2025, she became the first person to receive Beninese citizenship under a new law welcoming Afro-descendants back to their ancestral homeland.

The moment was part of a national ceremony held in Cotonou, organized to celebrate the United Nations International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent. It was also a chance for Benin to begin putting a new law into action, one that gives African descendants of enslaved people the right to return and claim Beninese nationality.

Ciara

Ciara shared her joy in an Instagram post that same day, writing:

Indescribable Joy. July 26, history was made. On this year’s United Nations International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent, I was honored to receive Beninese citizenship, becoming the first person in the world granted nationality under this new initiative!

To be welcomed by His Excellency President Patrice Talon, the office of Benin Tourism, and the beautiful people of Benin is a moment I will never forget. Thank you Benin for opening your arms and your heart to me. See you soon. Je suis béninoise.”

Ciara with her Benin people

The singer was officially granted citizenship in a formal event attended by President Talon and Benin’s Minister of Justice, Yvon Détchénou. It was a proud and emotional moment for both Ciara and the country, as she stepped into a piece of her own history while marking a new step for Benin’s efforts to reconnect with the African diaspora.

A Law to Bring People Home

Ciara was granted citizenship under a law passed in September 2024, designed to help descendants of enslaved Africans reconnect with their roots. Under the new law, people who can trace their ancestry back to Benin, through DNA results, family records, or verified stories, can apply for citizenship. They also have to be at least 18, not already a citizen of another African country, and must visit Benin within three years of applying.

Ciara with her Benin people

The goal is to help Afro-descendants build real, lasting ties to the places their ancestors came from before the transatlantic slave trade took them away.

Benin is one of several African countries, alongside Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gabon, that have started making legal room for this kind of return. But Benin’s law is unique because it gives full legal citizenship, not just residency or honorary titles. 

Ciara receiving her citizenship

A Journey Back Through History

After receiving her citizenship, Ciara took time to visit the Slave Route in Ouidah, one of the major slave ports during the transatlantic slave trade. Like many who visit, she walked the same path millions of enslaved people were once forced to take, ending at the Door of No Return, a symbolic spot where captives were taken across the ocean, never to see their homeland again.

According to reports, Ciara called the experience powerful and emotional, describing it as a moment of deep reflection. 

Ciara

For Benin, this kind of return carries deep meaning. The country has publicly acknowledged its role in the slave trade, and for years, has hosted memorial events and invited descendants of enslaved people to visit. In 1999, former president Mathieu Kérékou even issued a formal apology for Benin’s involvement in the trade during a trip to the U.S.

A New Chapter for Many People

Ciara’s story is part of a much larger move by African countries to open their doors to people of African descent around the world. Though she’s the first, many more are expected to follow in her footsteps.

Ciara

Benin has even created a digital platform, My Afro Origins to help people apply and check if they are eligible.

As for Ciara, this wasn’t just about paperwork or a headline. It was about returning to something real. Her smile during the ceremony said it all, and her words made it even clearer: Je suis béninoise. Meaning: I am a Beninese woman.

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