Stevie Wonder celebrated his 74th birthday with a one-of-a-kind gift—Ghanaian citizenship.
On Monday (May 13), the “As” singer took part in the ceremony at the Jubilee House, where he pledged the Oath of Allegiance and received his Certificate of Citizenship.
“First of all, give all praise to God. Since I was a little boy, I always believed in my heart that there was nothing impossible. The spirit of the most high, our God, and for years since about 1972, I talked about coming to Ghana […] For over 50 years, I’ve talked about being a citizen in this country. The truth is I’m committed to—now as Ghanian citizen—being apart of fulfilling the dream we’ve had for so many years of bringing people of Africa, those of the diaspora, together. The only way the world will come together is that we unite as a united people of the world,” said Wonder during the ceremony.
He continued, “Living in America, I started, but I’m not done. I’m here to do this, to bring us together, all people of all nations because I know that we are the original people of the planet. So it is only fitting that we bring all of our children together. I’ve never seen the colors of the people, but I’ve seen their hearts.”
President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, congratulated Wonder on the monumental feat on Twitter. “In conferring Ghanaian citizenship upon Stevie Wonder, we not only extend our warmest embrace to a beloved son of Africa, but also reaffirm our belief in the enduring spirit of Pan-Africanism and the global African family, and the boundless potential of our continent and all its descendants,” he wrote.
Wonder expressed renewed interest in relocating to Ghana permanently back in 2021 when speaking with Oprah. He revealed that the move was partially prompted because he doesn’t want to see his lineage beg for respect from those who may never grant them such, in addition to his aforementioned sentiments.
Watch the full episode via Apple TV here.