In a momentous celebration of his 74th birthday, the legendary musician Stevie Wonder has officially become a Ghanaian citizen. The 25-time Grammy Award-winning artist received his citizenship certificate and a Ghanaian passport during a ceremony held at the Jubilee House, the presidential palace in Accra.

Stevie Wonder expressed his profound gratitude and joy at the ceremony. “I, first of all, give all praise to God,” Wonder said in footage posted online. “Since a little boy, I always believed in my heart that there was nothing impossible. … And for years, since about 1972, I’ve talked about coming to Ghana.”

Wonder’s remarks highlighted his longstanding connection to Ghana and his commitment to fostering unity among people of African descent. “The truth is: I’m committed to, as now a Ghanaian citizen, being a part of fulfilling the dream that we’ve had for so many years, of bringing people of Africa (and) those of the diaspora — in the United States, the Caribbean — all of the people together,” he stated. “Because as I’ve said, and I’ve said for many years: the only way the world will come together is if we unite as a united people of the world.”

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, took to Twitter to honor Wonder’s new citizenship, emphasizing the significance of the occasion. “In conferring Ghanaian citizenship upon Stevie Wonder, we not only extend our warmest embrace to a beloved son of Africa, but also reaffirm our belief in the enduring spirit of Pan-Africanism and the global African family, and the boundless potential of our continent and all its descendants.”

Stevie Wonder’s new status as a Ghanaian citizen is more than a personal milestone; it represents a broader commitment to Pan-Africanism and the unity of the global African diaspora. His words and actions underscore the importance of solidarity and the collective effort needed to foster global unity.

As Stevie Wonder embarks on this new chapter, his message of unity and hope continues to resonate, reminding us all of the power of coming together as one global family.