On our last episode Carol Mayes Basuru shared her experiences with moving to Ghana. We put together some additional resources for living in the motherland to supplement her episode. As African Americans many of us wonder where our ancestors came from and whether we can have a relationship with our ancestral homes. The African Union advocated and continues to advocate for the development of ties between its member countries and people in the diaspora. The organization has a unit that encourages the building of ties called the Diaspora Division. Several countries have created programs to extend dual citizenship to African Americans in the diaspora as Carol mentioned. Presently, there are eight African countries that offer citizenship opportunities to African Americans.
GHANA
Of the eight countries, Ghana is the only one where citizenship offers are not tied to ancestry. However, as Carol mentioned, the offer of citizenship comes through a Presidential initiative called the Year of Return, which started in 2019. By all accounts the Year of Return was a success and increased tourism to Ghana. The country recently granted citizenship to 524 African Americans. And while the new Ghanaian citizens are happy, it is important to note that such moves can cause class stress in any country where poverty is an issue. Some Ghanaians wonder whether the new citizens will have more privileges and better access to land ownership because they are wealthier, which raises serious class issues. Time will tell how it plays out.
Ancestral ties required
Gabon, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, and Kenya round out the list of eight. These countries specifically require the applicant be able to trace DNA to the specific country. A DNA test from African Ancestry can help provide that information. Benin can also offer ancestry through lineage.
Do Your Research Before Traveling
Carol reminded us that Africa is a huge, incredibly diverse continent with 52 countries. There are many African American ex-pats abroad. They retain their American citizenship while living in Africa. Do your research and plan a trip which will allow you to explore more than one country if you can. There are Black owned travel groups that can help you plan a trip. African Ancestry also helps with trips. And finally, here’s some advice from other sites. Hope these resources on moving to the motherland (or even just visiting there!) help.