Russell Wilson is deepening his connection to West Africa—officially starting the process to become a citizen of Benin under the country's Afro-descendant nationality initiative.
According to Bella Naija, a Nigerian newspaper, the former NFL quarterback made the announcement during his first-ever visit to Benin in January 2026, coinciding with the country’s annual Vodun Days celebration in Ouidah.
According to sources, Wilson is applying through the My Afro Origins platform, the official government portal that allows individuals of African descent to prove ancestral ties to the transatlantic slave trade and apply for Beninese citizenship. The process requires DNA testing, family records, or verified testimonies, and takes roughly three months once the application is approved.
The timing of Wilson’s announcement was symbolic. Vodun Days, held annually from January 8–10, is a spiritual and cultural event designed to reclaim and celebrate Vodun as a legitimate part of African heritage.
Centered in Ouidah—once one of West Africa’s busiest slave ports—the festival blends traditional rituals, live performances, and ceremonies at historic memorial sites like the Slave Route and the Door of No Return.
Wilson was in attendance not just as a participant but also as Ciara's supportive husband, who returned to perform at Vodun Days for the first time since she was granted Beninese citizenship in July 2025.
Her performance on January 9 electrified the crowd, with “Level Up” drawing a massive audience response.
Ciara’s own path to citizenship was a landmark moment. As one of the first public figures to receive Beninese nationality under the new law, she was the focus of a July 2025 ceremony in Cotonou that was widely covered.
At the time, she walked the Slave Route and visited the Door of No Return, calling it a moment of “emotion, reflection, and heritage.”
She described Benin as “sacred ground” and has since continued to raise awareness about its cultural legacy.