I’m not a great music fan, but I would not be completely honest if I did not own up to my partiality towards Stevie Wonder, the US-born virtuoso who has created music that has reverberated throughout the world, despite being visually impaired since infancy.

It’s not only in the music arena that he has shone. He is also a vocal social justice and equal rights advocate who has used his platform as a musician to clamour for change – from the US civil rights movement of the 1960s to the ongoing struggle for justice in today’s world.

This has included raising awareness about challenges faced by people living with disabilities, speaking out – during his concerts and on other public forums – against the scourge of gun violence in his native country, and calling out those who do not do their bit to promote racial equality.

Wonder has also taken up the cudgels for those seeking environmental justice. As far back as 1976, he released the song Love’s in Need of Love Today, which touches on themes of social and environmental justice, urging listeners to recognise and address the challenges facing the world.

This great icon is now a Ghanaian citizen, having received his new passport from the West African country’s President about two weeks ago, on the day he turned 74, with his family present.

Wonder is not the first African American luminary to seek solace under the Ghanaian sun. The echoes of Maya Angelou’s poetic verses are still audible in the country. This acclaimed poet, author and civil rights activist moved to Ghana in the early 1960s to support the pan-African movement and work with Kwame Nkrumah, who had led the then Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957 and would remain as President until he was deposed in a coup in 1966.

During her stay, Angelou edited the Ghanaian government’s African Review magazine and also taught at the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama. Although she eventually returned to her home country, her connections to Ghana endured throughout her life, with her experiences in the country contributing to her broader advocacy for civil rights, social justice and pan-African solidarity.

She was engaged in these pursuits until she passed on in 2014, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, compassion and artistic brilliance that continues to inspire generations.

WEB du Bois, too, sojourned in Ghana, arriving there in 1961. The prominent sociologist, historian and civil rights activist would remain in Ghana, continuing his scholarly work and activism, until his death in 1963, aged 95.

Before moving to Ghana, he had established himself as a towering figure in the fight for civil rights and was the first African American to graduate with a PhD from Harvard University, in 1895.

Wonder’s decision to obtain Ghanaian citizenship can be regarded as a conscious embrace of his African heritage, a symbolic homecoming. Ghana, with its history as a focal point of the transatlantic slave trade and given its role in the pan-African movement, holds particular significance in the collective consciousness of the African diaspora. Thus, by formalising his ties to the country, Wonder is aligning himself with a lineage of resistance and resilience, and also honouring past struggles of African people.

His move could also be seen as a manoeuvre in pursuit of global citizenship. This is a concept that transcends the limits imposed by nationality and emphasises our shared humanity. This is highly relevant in this age of globalisation and interconnectedness. Thus, by expanding the boundaries of his identity, Wonder is positioning himself as a global citizen with a stake in the collective welfare of humanity. This will definitely aid his multifaceted advocacy work.

Wonder’s becoming a Ghanaian is also bound to prompt scholarly inquiry into the broader themes of diaspora studies, transnationalism and cultural belonging. Scholars should be able to gain useful insights into the complexities of identity formation by situating his personal narrative within the broader framework of diasporic experiences.

But this is stuff for the egg-heads to ponder. What is relevant to the ordinary Ghanaian is that the sounds of his harmonica shall be echoing through the streets of Accra, blending with the rhythms of the Ghanaian capital city.

For Wonder, the move is not just a change of address; it is a soulful homecoming for an icon whose music transcends national boundaries. Welcome home, Stevie. Ghana is richer for having you.