Benin has introduced a law granting citizenship to descendants of enslaved Africans, addressing its role in the transatlantic slave trade. The initiative, championed by President Patrice Talon, allows individuals over 18 who can trace their lineage to the slave trade to apply, using DNA tests, family records, and authenticated testimonies. This effort coincides with Benin’s broader reckoning with its complicity in the trade, which saw an estimated 1.5 million people deported from the region. Alongside the citizenship law, memorial tourism, including sites like Ouidah’s “Door of No Return,” is part of Benin’s broader strategy to preserve and share this history. The law carries deep symbolic significance for applicants, with some seeing it as a way to honor their ancestors. It also resonates with those exploring cultural and spiritual ties, highlighting the enduring connection between Africa and the diaspora.
SOURCE: AP NEWS
