US singer Ciara has become one of the first public figures to be granted citizenship of Benin, under a new law offering nationality to the descendants of slaves.
In an Instagram post the Grammy award-winner said she was "honoured", adding "thank you Benin for opening your arms and your heart to me".
The citizenship scheme is part of an initiative by the small West African country to build ties with the African diaspora and boost cultural tourism.
Ciara, known for R&B and pop hits such as Goodies and 1,2 Step, officially became a citizen at a ceremony in the city of Cotonou.
"This act, which is symbolic, humane and historic, is not merely an administrative gesture. It is a gesture of the soul, a return to one's roots, a hand extended to those whom history, in its brutality, had torn from this land," the government said in a statement on Monday, following the ceremony.
