Cameroon should consider offering citizenship to Diasporans with ancestry to the band

By Hans Ngala

Tuesday’s revelation that Brazilian football star Vinícius Júnior discovered his ancestral links to the Tikar people in Cameroon has ignited discussions on the deep and enduring ties between Africa and its diaspora. The DNA test, conducted by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in partnership with AfricanAncestry.com, confirmed that Vinícius shares ancestral roots with Cameroon’s Tikar community. Photos of the elated player holding his ancestral certificate quickly went viral, symbolizing the growing desire of people of African descent in the Americas and Europe to reconnect with their ancestral land.

For centuries, people of African descent in the Americas have known they are not from the countries where they now reside. This realization, often accompanied by a profound yearning to trace their roots, has sparked a wave of interest in connecting with Africa. For many, discovering their ancestral land is not just about tracing lineage, but also reclaiming a piece of their identity. Vinícius’ joy reflects what could be a common feeling among many members of the African diaspora today, and Cameroon could seize this moment to strengthen its ties with people around the world who share a historical and cultural connection to the country.
At a time when history left African families scattered across the world, Cameroon has an opportunity to create a more formal bridge between its diaspora and the homeland. One effective way would be the establishment of a ‘Ministry of Diaspora Affairs’, tasked with facilitating the granting of citizenship to people with proven Cameroonian ancestry. This move would provide an avenue for individuals seeking to invest in the country, strengthening both the national economy and the country’s social fabric. Diasporans, especially those from places with large African-descended populations like Europe, the U.S., Brazil, and the Caribbean, could be incentivized to invest in businesses, create jobs, and contribute to the overall development of Cameroon.
Historically, Cameroon was a key exit point along the coast of West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade. Thousands of enslaved Africans were transported from Cameroon to the Americas and Europe, leaving a lasting imprint on the cultural and social fabric of the African diaspora. The port of Bimbia, located in Cameroon’s South West Region, was one of the largest slave ports in the region. As noted by Professor Lisa Aubrey, an African-American scholar of history and political science at the University of Yaoundé I and Arizona State University, Bimbia played a pivotal role in this tragic chapter of history. Yet, despite its significance, the site remains largely neglected, with only the stone columns and wooden beams from centuries past serving as reminders of its dark history.
The neglect of such important heritage sites stands in stark contrast to the efforts of other African nations to preserve their colonial-era slave trading posts. Ghana, for example, has been lauded for maintaining its forts, such as Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, which served as holding pens for enslaved Africans before they were shipped across the Atlantic. Similarly, Senegal’s Goree Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and draws countless tourists annually who wish to reflect on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. Ghana has also implemented a naturalization program that offers citizenship to members of the African diaspora, particularly African Americans and others with links to the country, providing an avenue for those seeking to reconnect with their roots. The results have been remarkable—thousands of African Americans, along with people of African descent from other parts of the world, have returned to Ghana, creating businesses, boosting the economy, and fostering a new wave of cultural exchange.
Cameroon can take a page from Ghana’s success by embracing a similar model. The country is the ancestral land of numerous prominent Hollywood stars such as Don Cheadle, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Chris Tucker, and Eddie Murphy, who have publicly expressed pride in their Cameroonian heritage. These figures, with their immense international fame, present a powerful opportunity for Cameroon to use their influence to promote tourism, much in the way that South Africa has leveraged the celebrity of Trevor Noah to create promotional campaigns showcasing the country’s diverse cultural offerings.
By facilitating stronger ties between Cameroonians and their diaspora, the country could see a revitalization of its cultural tourism industry, while also benefiting from the influx of investment and expertise from those with ancestral roots in the land. In this globalized world, where boundaries of identity and belonging are increasingly fluid, Cameroon could become a symbol of reconciliation, unity, and opportunity—building a future where the descendants of those lost in the transatlantic slave trade can return to the land that was once theirs, bringing both economic and social benefits to the nation.
This long-overdue recognition of the ancestral connections between Africa and its diaspora could be the foundation for a brighter future, where history and heritage unite the people of Cameroon with the broader African-descended world. It’s time for Cameroon to consider the possibilities of a renewed relationship with its diaspora and move towards offering a pathway for those with Cameroonian ancestry to contribute to the country’s growth and prosperity and the government can start this historic movement by offering citizenship to Vinicius Junior.