Ciara Returns to Benin for Vodun Days Festival, Husband Applies for Citizenship

In January 2026, Grammy-winning singer Ciara returned to Benin to perform at the Vodun Days festival, just months after being granted Beninese citizenship. This event marked her first major public appearance in Benin since naturalizing in July 2025 under a legal framework recognizing people of African descent.

The festival, held in Ouidah from January 8-10, aimed to combine remembrance of cultural heritage with engaging the diaspora. Ciara's participation in the festival's international program featured artists like Angélique Kidjo and Davido.

Her husband, former NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, also attended and announced his application for Beninese citizenship through the Afro Origin Platform's initiative. The Vodun Days festival is part of Benin's broader efforts to promote cultural heritage and historical remembrance as part of its cultural tourism strategy.