Ghana has granted citizenship to popular American YouTuber IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., following his recent tour of Africa, the country’s Foreign Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced.
The 21-year-old content creator, who boasts about 50 million subscribers on YouTube, was said to have demonstrated what the government described as “irrefutable ties” to Ghana during his month-long stay on the continent.
Announcing the decision in a statement addressed to Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya, Ablakwa said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had approved the issuance of a Ghanaian passport to the influencer.
“@wode_maya following our discussions and subsequent confirmation of the irrefutable ties of IShowSpeed to Ghana, I am pleased to inform you and our compatriots that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved the issuance of a Ghanaian Passport to IShowSpeed. Keep making our great nation Ghana, and our beloved African continent proud.
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“Ghana celebrates you both you remain our worthy ambassadors, and we are ever so delighted to have granted you a diplomatic passport last year. For God, Country & Continent”, the statement reads.
READ ALSO: iShowSpeed’s Lagos Birthday Live Stream Becomes Global Sensation
IShowSpeed’s African tour, which began on December 29, saw him visit about 20 countries. Through his content, the influencer highlighted Africa’s culture, tourism and growing technology space, while countering long-held stereotypes and presenting alternative narratives about the continent to a global audience.
The decision is being linked to Ghana’s “Beyond the Return” initiative, a policy aimed at strengthening connections with Africans in the diaspora and encouraging them to formalise ties with the country.
The announcement has, however, generated mixed reactions within Ghana. While some citizens have welcomed the move as a strategic boost to the country’s international visibility and soft power, others have questioned the rationale and long-term value of extending citizenship to foreign celebrities.
