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.