Actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have been granted citizenship of Guinea, marking a formal return to their ancestral roots in West Africa.
The couple travelled to the country earlier this month after DNA testing traced their lineage to Guinea. Their citizenship was confirmed during a private cultural ceremony organised by the Guinean Ministry of Culture, held at Gbassi Kolo, a tourist and cultural centre.
The passports were presented to the actors by Djiba Diakité, minister and chief of staff to the presidency, on behalf of President Mamadi Doumbouya. During the ceremony, Diakité described the couple as “worthy sons and daughters of Guinea” who would represent the country and its flag globally.
Good, best known for films including Think Like a Man, said it was her first visit to Guinea. “We just want to say thank you so much,” she said, expressing gratitude for the welcome and the significance of the moment.
Majors, who has starred in Creed and Ant-Man, described the decision as a way of “bridging the gap” between their work as entertainers and their identity as members of the African diaspora. He said becoming citizens allowed them to bring their personal histories and creative lives into alignment.
The ceremony featured traditional music and dance performances, including drumming on the djembe, an instrument closely associated with Guinean cultural heritage. The couple were welcomed with music and officials upon arrival at Conakry’s Gbessia International Airport in the early hours of Friday morning.
Speaking to the BBC via email, Good and Majors said they see their connection to Guinea as long-term. “We could absolutely see ourselves having a home here and spending meaningful time in Guinea,” they said. “This is not a fleeting connection — it’s something we see as long-term and evolving.”
During their stay, the couple are expected to visit Boké, a coastal region with historic ties to the transatlantic slave trade.
Their citizenship follows a wider movement across West Africa encouraging people of African descent to reconnect with the continent. Ghana’s Year of Return initiative in 2019 helped popularise similar efforts, and several public figures have since acquired African citizenships, including Stevie Wonder, Ciara, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Guinea itself has a long history of welcoming members of the African diaspora, particularly artists and activists seeking cultural reconnection.
Good, 44, and Majors, 36, began dating in 2023 and married last year. Their visit to Guinea represents a personal milestone for the couple, rooted in ancestry, identity, and a desire for continued engagement with the continent.
