Celebrated actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have arrived in Guinea, where they are expected to be granted citizenship. The couple traced their ancestral roots to the West African nation through DNA testing.
“We are just happy to be here,” stated Good, renowned for her role in “Think Like a Man,” noting this marks her inaugural visit to Guinea.
Majors, known for his performances in “Creed” and “Ant-Man,” added, “I am excited to meet the people and explore the town with my wife.”
The citizenship conferral is being facilitated by the Ministry of Culture, aligning with broader regional initiatives aimed at encouraging individuals of African descent to reconnect with their heritage and contribute to the continent’s growth.
A private cultural ceremony is scheduled to take place later today at a newly established tourist garden on the outskirts of Conakry, the capital city.
Good, 44, and Majors, 36, began their relationship in May 2023 and were married the following year.
Their marriage followed a period of legal challenges for Majors. In 2024, he received a sentence of probation in the U.S. for assaulting his former girlfriend, British choreographer Grace Jabbari, and was required to participate in a 52-week domestic violence intervention program.
Upon their arrival at Conakry’s Gbessia International Airport early Friday morning, the actors were greeted with a warm welcome by government officials and local musicians.
During their stay in Guinea, Good and Majors are scheduled to tour Boké, a coastal region recognized for its historical significance in the slave trade. It remains unclear whether the couple intends to invest in or relocate to Guinea.
In recent years, several high-profile figures have pursued citizenship in African nations.
This trend gained momentum following Ghana’s “Year of Return” campaign in 2019, which invited individuals of African descent to return and invest in the country. Stevie Wonder notably took up Ghanaian citizenship in 2024.
Other examples include Ciara, the American singer, who became a citizen of Benin last year, and Samuel L. Jackson, the Hollywood actor, who obtained Gabonese citizenship in 2020.
Guinea has a history of welcoming activists and members of the African diaspora.
In the 1960s, South African singer Miriam Makeba and her husband, Stokely Carmichael, a U.S. civil rights activist and Black Panther leader, relocated to Guinea.
Makeba was rendered stateless due to her opposition to apartheid. Following her marriage to Carmichael, who popularized the slogan “Black Power,” her U.S. visa was revoked.
She was subsequently treated as an honorary Guinean citizen and cultural ambassador. Carmichael, who later adopted the name Kwame Ture, remained in Guinea until his death in 1998, even after their divorce.
Guinea has experienced political instability in recent years, and under the junta that seized power in 2021, the country’s openness to dissent has diminished.
Coup leader Gen. Mamady Doumbouya imposed restrictions on the media and suppressed protests.
The country recently transitioned back to civilian rule following elections last month, in which Doumbouya secured victory with 87% of the vote.
Unlike other countries in the region that have undergone recent coups, Guinea has maintained diplomatic ties with Western governments, notably France.
The country possesses abundant mineral resources, including bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, and uranium. Despite this, its citizens remain among the poorest in West Africa.
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