By Ghazali Ibrahim
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been conferred honorary citizenship by the State of Georgia in the United States, in a symbolic gesture that has drawn wide attention amid the separatist leader’s continued detention in Nigeria.
In a proclamation dated January 16, 2026, circulated widely online, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger declared Kanu an “Honorary Georgia Citizen” and described him as an “Outstanding Citizen” who should be accorded every courtesy as a Goodwill Ambassador in future travels or residences beyond US borders. The proclamation was formally presented on January 23, 2026, in Milledgeville, Georgia, by State Representative Gab Okoye.
The honorary citizenship certificate was received on behalf of Kanu by former Nigerian Consul General to South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, who acknowledged the honor on behalf of the imprisoned activist.
Kanu is currently serving a life prison sentence at a correctional facility in Sokoto State, Nigeria, after being convicted in Abuja on treason-related charges, verdicts he has vehemently rejected and pledged to challenge on appeal.
Supporters of the IPOB leader see the honorary citizenship as a symbolic international nod to his influence and a statement of solidarity from global observers, even as legal and political debates continue over his prosecution. Critics, however, question the practical impact of the honor while Kanu remains incarcerated.
The Georgia proclamation reads in part:
“May this Outstanding Citizen be afforded every courtesy as a Goodwill Ambassador from Georgia in his travels to other states, to nations beyond the borders of the United States of America, or wherever he may hereafter travel or reside.”
While honorary citizenship does not confer legal citizenship rights nor does it guarantee any diplomatic leverage in legal cases, it is often used to recognise individuals whose work or global profile has attracted international attention.
The development adds a new dimension to the ongoing discussion around Kanu’s activism, legal battles and the attention his case has drawn from diaspora communities and foreign observers amid Nigeria’s complex political landscape.
