Stevie Wonder awarded Ghanaian citizenship

The bestowal was made at the Jubilee House in Accra on 13 May during a ceremony which coincided with the singer’s 74th birthday. The development forms part of ongoing efforts to engage with and acknowledge the contributions of the African diaspora while bolstering Ghana’s status as a “centre for African cultural and intellectual excellence.”

At the ceremony, Akufo-Addo praised Stevie Wonder for his musical contributions and dedication to the African diaspora, noting how his music has inspired generations of Ghanaians and Africans worldwide. He also highlighted that Stevie Wonder’s visit would strengthen ties between Africa and its diaspora.

After taking the oath of allegiance and receiving his citizenship certificate, Wonder expressed gratitude for the recognition bestowed upon him, stressing his long-held admiration for Ghana’s culture and hospitality. Earlier, upon arriving at the airport, he joined a cultural troupe that had gathered to welcome him, smiling and participating in the drumming himself.

Born in Michigan, US, Wonder mastered the piano, drums, and harmonica by his ninth birthday. He signed with Motown Records in 1961 and has since earned 25 Grammy Awards for iconic hits including ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ and ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’.

As far back as 1994, he expressed ambitions to move to West Africa, particularly Ghana, driven by his belief that it offered a stronger sense of community compared to the US. 

Three years ago, he told American talk show host Oprah Winfrey during an interview about his decision to move permanently to Ghana, citing discrimination based on race. “I don’t want to see my children’s children’s children have to say, ‘Oh please’, like me,” he said. “‘Please respect me, please know that I am important, please value me.’ What is that?”

Meanwhile, Ghana’s interior minister, Henry Quartey, has praised the president for leading the 2019 Year of Return initiative which invited the African diaspora to return to the country to mark 400 years since the first African slaves were shipped to the US. The campaign, which aspires to achieve two million international tourists by 2025 and rake in a minimum revenue of $5.2bn, has resulted in the registration of 252 individuals from the African-American and Caribbean diaspora communities as Ghanaians. In September 2020, Ghana launched Beyond the Return, a decade-long, follow-up programme which seeks to build on the tourism gains of the Year of Return.