Stevie Wonder celebrated his 74th birthday in a very special way: he became a citizen of Ghana. The legendary singer participated in a ceremony on May 13 where he took the Oath of Allegiance and was granted his Certificate of Citizenship from the president of the West African nation.
“First and foremost, I give all praise to God. Since I was a young boy, I’ve always believed in my heart that nothing is impossible. Guided by the spirit of the Most High, I’ve harbored the desire to come to Ghana for many years… Since around 1972,” he said in a video of the ceremony shared online.
“For over 50 years, I’ve discussed the idea of being a citizen of this country. Now, as a Ghanaian citizen, I am committed to fulfilling the dream we’ve cherished for so long—uniting people of African descent and the diaspora. The world can only achieve unity when we, as a global community, come together,” he added.
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“While I began my journey in America, it is far from over. I am here to unite us, people of all nations, because I believe we are the original inhabitants of this planet. It is only right that we bring all our children together. I don’t see the colors of people, but I see their hearts,” he continued.
The Grammy-Award-winning singer, hailing from Michigan, has always felt a profound connection to Ghana. As early as 1975, Wonder contemplated leaving America behind to settle in Ghana, which he believed would reconnect him to his ancestral roots, BBC News reports. Despite continuing his singing career in the United States after headlining a Ghanaian music festival in the 1990s, Wonder’s desire to make Ghana his home remained steadfast.
During a subsequent visit to Ghana, Wonder found inspiration in the country’s rich cultural heritage and penned his entire 1995 album, Conversation Peace. In a 2021 interview with Oprah, he revealed his intention to make Ghana his permanent residence, citing a desire to escape racial injustice in the US and to further immerse himself in the vibrant Ghanaian culture.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo also took to X(formerly Twitter) to congratulate Wonder. “By granting Stevie Wonder Ghanaian citizenship, we not only welcome a beloved son of Africa but also reaffirm our belief in Pan-Africanism and the global African family.”
