Monrovia – The Authorities of Barbados is taking a historic step to grant citizenship to Liberians of Bajan descent, reconnecting the island nation with members of its diaspora and recognizing centuries-old cultural ties.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley introduced the event throughout a current handle, emphasizing the inclusive reforms underway in Barbados.
“Few Nights in the past, within the Home of Meeting, the minister of Dwelling Affairs opened the second studying of two-companion message. The Immigration Invoice 2-2025 and the citizenship invoice 2025. After which requested that these payments be put to the parliamentary authorities standing committee for wider session earlier than closing passage. That is how huge change occur in a democracy. And it opened with the nation invited to weigh in,” Mottley stated.
The proposed laws is predicted to create a pathway for Liberians with Bajan heritage to assert citizenship, strengthening cultural ties and providing new alternatives for the diaspora to take part in Barbados’ social, financial, and political life.
A Historic Connection
This initiative marks a daring effort by the Bajan authorities to reconnect with descendants of Barbadians who migrated to Liberia within the nineteenth century. In 1865, roughly 346 African-Barbadians traveled from Bridgetown to Liberia on the brig Cora, settling in Crozierville, which grew to become a Bajan outpost in Africa. Many distinguished Liberian households, together with these of former Presidents Arthur and Edwin Barclay, hint their roots to this migration.
Tracing the Roots
The connection started to be documented in 2019 when Liberia’s Particular Envoy on Cultural and Heritage Diplomacy, Ambassador Lorenzo Llewellyn Witherspoon—whose great-great-grandfather, John Prince Porte, was a Bajan-born passenger on the Cora—launched a analysis mission to reconnect with relations in Barbados.
“Though entry to key archival data in Barbados was restricted, the analysis mission led to the publication of findings titled ‘PORTES FIND A NEW HOME IN LIBERIA: STORY OF THE POST-EMANCIPATION EMIGRATION OF THE JOHN PRINCE PORTE FAMILY OF BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, TO LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA IN 1865 & THE FAMILY’S QUEST FOR ANCESTRAL CITIZENSHIP,’” Ambassador Witherspoon defined.
His work, supported by conferences with the Barbadian Ambassador to Switzerland, Chad Blackman, paved the best way for high-level engagement between the 2 nations. In June 2021, Ambassador Witherspoon and his delegation visited Barbados, tracing the ancestral properties of the Porte household and assembly Prime Minister Mottley at Ilaro Court docket.
The go to led to the primary profitable Sankofa Pilgrimage to Barbados from Could 6–13, 2024, bringing over 400 Bajan-Liberian pilgrims “residence” to the island. Throughout these interactions, the Prime Minister confirmed the Bajan origins of the Finest household lineage and supported heritage excursions and cultural exchanges between Barbados and Liberia.
Strengthening Diplomatic and Cultural Ties
Following these initiatives, Barbados and Liberia established formal diplomatic relations. In Could 2025, Dame Sandra Mason, President of Barbados, visited Liberia to commemorate the a hundred and sixtieth anniversary of Crozierville Founders’ Day alongside President Joseph Boakai. Occasions included a lavish lunch hosted by the Porte household at Porte Hill, the disclosing of statues honoring Liberian leaders of Bajan ancestry, and a thanksgiving service at Christ Episcopal Church in Crozierville.
Barbados has produced two elected Presidents of Liberia: Arthur Barclay, the fifteenth President, born in Barbados, and Edwin Barclay, the 18th President, born in Liberia. Moreover, Gyude Bryant, Chairman of Liberia’s Transitional Authorities (2003–2006), was of Bajan descent. Many different Bajans contributed considerably to Liberia’s early authorities, serving in prime positions for many years.
The citizenship initiative represents not solely recognition of historic ties but in addition a forward-looking effort to strengthen people-to-people connections and promote cultural diplomacy between Liberia and Barbados.
