US State Of Georgia Honors Nnamdi Kanu With Honorary Citizenship As Global Support Grows Despite Life Sentence (Video)

The government of the U.S. State of Georgia has conferred Honorary Citizenship on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, in a move widely seen by supporters as a powerful symbol of international recognition and solidarity, even as he remains incarcerated in Nigeria following a life imprisonment sentence handed down by a Federal High Court on November 20.

The honorary certificate, signed by Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, and dated January 16, 2026, describes Kanu as an “Outstanding Citizen” and a “Goodwill Ambassador” from the State of Georgia to the rest of the world.

The document 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.”

It also bears the official seal of the Secretary of State and a red, white, and blue ribbon, signifying formal state recognition.

Supporters of Kanu have welcomed the gesture as a moral and diplomatic boost, describing it as affirmation of his global relevance and the growing international concern surrounding his continued detention and trial. Pro-Biafra groups and members of the Nigerian diaspora in the United States say the recognition reinforces calls for dialogue, justice, and political resolution rather than prolonged incarceration.

Human rights advocates have also pointed to the Georgia honor as evidence that Kanu’s case has transcended Nigeria’s borders, drawing attention from international stakeholders who continue to the Nigerian government to uphold constitutional safeguards and pursue peaceful engagement in addressing agitation in the South-East.

Kanu was first arrested in 2015, granted bail in 2017, and later re-arrested in 2021 under circumstances that remain the subject of legal and diplomatic debate. His conviction and life sentence have since sparked widespread reactions from lawmakers, civil society groups, traditional leaders, and international observers, many of whom have called for a political solution and national reconciliation.

As news of the honorary citizenship spreads, supporters say the development has lifted morale across the South-East and among diaspora communities, interpreting it as a global endorsement of Kanu’s call for justice, equity, and self-determination through lawful and peaceful means.

They insist the recognition will further amplify international advocacy efforts aimed at securing his freedom and restoring lasting peace in the region.