ACCRA, Ghana — Keachia Bowers reminisced over a family album and stopped at a photo featuring her as a young child on her father’s lap, beside the iconic 1978 reggae album “Africa Stand Alone” by the Jamaican band Culture.
“When I was just 10 years old, I was supposed to travel to Ghana with him,” Bowers reflected, noting that she had just commemorated the tenth anniversary of her father’s passing. As a devoted Pan-Africanist, he longed to visit Ghana, a dream that sadly remained unrealized.
However, Bowers and her spouse, Damon Smith, are among the 524 members of the diaspora—predominantly Black Americans—who received Ghanaian citizenship during a ceremony held last November. The couple relocated to Ghana from Florida in 2023 after multiple visits to the region dating back to the 1990s. They now operate a tour business that caters to Black individuals eager to explore Ghana or those like themselves who have come to call this place home.
The November ceremony represented the largest group to be granted citizenship since Ghana initiated its “Year of the Return” program in 2019, commemorating 400 years since the arrival of the first Africans enslaved in Virginia in 1619. The program has evolved into “Beyond the Return,” endorsed by Ghana’s Tourism Authority and the Office of Diaspora Affairs, aiming to strengthen relationships with those in the diaspora. Hundreds have since been granted citizenship, including individuals from countries like Canada, the U.K., and Jamaica.
Bowers expressed that their move to Ghana provided a sense of relief that they did not experience in the United States.
“When we witness tragedies like Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland, these stories of people being brutally murdered in their own homes are traumatic,” Bowers shared, conveying her concerns for her 14-year-old son, Tsadik. A tall and lanky teenager, he is often elevated above his peers in stature but shines in the company of his 11-year-old sister, Tselah, and their family dog, Apollo.
“In America, my Black son with locs, who towers over his peers, is seen as a threat,” she reflected. While most Americans face minimal obstacles to residency in Ghana—typically just an annual fee—Bowers believes that citizenship holds a deeper meaning than merely living in the nation.
“I didn’t require citizenship to know I’m African. Regardless of where I am in the world, my skin color speaks for itself,” she stated.
She added, “This passport symbolizes a return for my ancestors who were unable to come back home.”
The trans-Atlantic slave trade forcibly removed millions, estimated between 10 to 15 million, from Africa to the Americas, primarily from West and Central Africa.
During that time, Ghana, known as the Gold Coast under British colonial rule, was a significant departure point for countless enslaved individuals.
As memorials commemorating the slave trade become tourist attractions across West Africa, the painful legacy of its brutality remains palpable. Visitors can explore haunting sites such as the “Door of No Return,” which opens to the Atlantic Ocean, symbolizing the final departure of slaves from their homeland.
The joy of reconnecting with long-lost roots is evident among attendees at citizenship ceremonies. Videos capture the exuberance of men and women of diverse ages as they wave Ghanaian flags and cheer with enthusiasm. Deijha Gordon, 33, was among those celebrating.
“My journey to Ghana began with my first visit in 2015. I realized then that this is a place I wanted to call home, where I could encourage other diasporans and Black Americans to find where they belong,” she recounted.
Having moved from Brooklyn to Ghana in 2019, Gordon launched her own food business, Deijha Vu’s Jerk Hut, specializing in Jamaican cuisine. As she prepared takeout orders and conversed with a couple of American tourists, she detailed her journey to establishing the business from the ground up.
Gordon was filled with joy while recounting her own citizenship experience.
“It’s fulfilling to establish a connection with an African nation as a Black American. In the U.S., we often lack anything to trace our lineage to; now having this connection feels like I’ve found my purpose,” she shared.
Like Bowers, Gordon has received numerous inquiries from individuals about the citizenship application process. Yet, the pathway to citizenship isn’t straightforward. It requires a presidential concession under Ghana’s 2000 Citizenship Act for those residing in the country who express interest to the Office of Diaspora Affairs.
The Ghanaian government promotes the program as beneficial to the economy and emphasizes investment opportunities for those considering relocation. Festus Owooson, from the local nonprofit Migration Advocacy Center, noted that while the government highlights the economic facets, the true value of citizenship is more abstract.
“It’s not just about striking gold or discovering business opportunities; it’s an emotional relief that defies monetary value,” he explained.
Ghana’s current administration, which launched the successful “Year of the Return” initiative, faces an impending transition as the main opposition party won the presidential election on December 7. However, Owooson believes that Black Americans and other members of the diaspora will likely continue to receive citizenship through presidential concessions.
Citizenship can extend to future generations as well. Bowers and Smith’s children automatically received citizenship during their parents’ ceremony. Bowers also mentioned her father’s belief in the Rastafari tradition, which advocates for repatriation.
“For us, repatriation is the ultimate experience one can achieve in life,” she said. Bowers is convinced that her father would be proud of her achievements.
“I can almost feel him smiling at me. He longs for this connection and now experiences it through me.”
