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President Patrice Talon has initiated a new law granting citizenship to descendants of individuals deported through the transatlantic slave trade
President Patrice Talon has initiated a new law granting citizenship to descendants of individuals deported through the transatlantic slave trade. The law is regarded as an effort by Benin to reckon with its historical role in the slave trade. Benin has openly acknowledged its role in the slave trade, a stance not shared by many other African nations that participated. In the 1990s, Benin hosted an international conference, sponsored by UNESCO, to examine how and where slaves were sold.
Individuals over 18 who can prove their ancestral link to those affected by the trade, using methods like DNA tests, family records, or authenticated testimonies are eligible for citizenship. Applicants must stay in Benin for at least one visit during a three-year provisional period to receive full citizenship.
This law is in line with similar initiatives by other African nations, such as Ghana. In 2019 Ghana offered citizenship to African Americans. However, Benin’s law is significant due to the country’s vital role in the transatlantic slave trade. The Bight of Benin, including modern-day Benin, Togo, and parts of Nigeria, was a key departure point for enslaved Africans. The port town of Ouidah has the unique status for the deportation of over 1.5 million enslaved people.
Benin’s efforts to address this dark past include public acknowledgment and memorial tourism. In the 1990s, Benin hosted an international conference on the slave trade, and in 1999, President Mathieu Kérékou publicly apologized for Africa’s role in the trade. Memorial sites like the “Door of No Return” in Ouidah mark the suffering of those forcibly taken from Africa.
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Among those applying for citizenship are eminent individuals like American musician Nate Debos, who was inspired by the Vodun religion, which connects Benin’s spiritual traditions with the Americas. The applicants seek to connect with their ancestral roots and gain recognition for the historical injustices faced by their ancestors.
