African American rapper and actor Ludacris has gained dual nationality and become a Gabonese citizen.
His wife Eudoxie Mbouguiengue is Gabonese.
In an Instagram video of the moment he acquired citizenship, posted to the social media site on Monday, he said: “I just became an official citizen of Gabon, of Africa.”
While flashing his new passport, he joked: “I am a loyal citizen of Zamunda, I mean Gabon. This is the greatest day of my life, and Wakanda, all of that.”
Zamunda is a fictional, wealthy, African country in Coming to America, a 1988 comedy film about Crown Prince Akeem Joffer, played by Eddie Murphy, and his trip to the US.
Wakanda is a fictional country in sub-Saharan Africa featured in Marvel Comics and popularised in the film, Black Panther.
Ludacris, whose real name is Christopher Brian Bridges, rang in the New Year in Gabon with his family.
In the Instagram video, he confirmed his mother and two daughters also received Gabonese citizenship.
He also took to Twitter to share the news, writing: “Starting my new year off with dual citizenship. Africa, I’m official!.”
Fans celebrated the move, with several saying: “Welcome home.”
Recently, diaspora Africans and African Americans have been increasingly researching their family histories.
US actor Samuel L Jackson received a Gabonese passport in August last year having traced his origins back to the Benga people in the West African nation, following a DNA test on a US TV show.
