Ozioma Onyenweaku
On 12th march 2021, a four year old child was rescued from abductors by the mob in Anambra State of Nigeria.
The boy who is a student of St. Joseph School, Otolo Nnewi in Anambra State was abducted on his way home from school.The angry mob attacked the abductors who came on motorcycle, and then rescued the child.
In the same area, four pregnant girls were rescued from a hide-out operated by one Mrs Gladys Nworie Ikegwuonu, it was later learnt that Mrs Gladys Ikeagwuonu owner of a baby factory was responsible for the abduction of the 4 year old boy who was returning from school.
These are just a few of the child theft incidents. Why this worrisome trend? The normal desire of many women to have children have pushed many into queuing into fake pregnancies knowingly or unknowingly.
Some do not like the idea of people saying they adopted a baby; so they key into the fake pregnancy stuff that is rampant now. Since the pregnancy is fake, it is only babies stolen from other women that are ‘sold’ to these desperate women.
Some women actually go for adoption but fail to go through the legal process and end up in the hands of the baby factory operators.
Please, if you want to adopt a child please ensure you follow the legal steps. If you have a child you feel you cannot cater for and you desire to give out the baby for adoption, it is allowed. Just follow the legal steps.
Adoption is one of the legal ways of having a baby. It is permissible within the law. The Black’s dictionary defined adoption as “the statutory process of terminating a child’s legal right and duties towards the natural parents and substituting similar rights and duties towards adoptive parents” The implication of that is that you have total parental rights and duties over that child to the exclusion of every other person including the natural parents. It simply means that you step into the shoes of the natural parents and become real parent(s) to the child.
The Child’s Rights Act 2003 is the legislation that regulates adoption in Nigeria. The Act empowers the Family High court to handle the adoption process.
The application for adoption must be submitted with the following documents:
Where the applicant is married: the marriage certificate or the sworn declaration, and a written consent of the other spouse
The birth certificate or Sworn declaration of age of the applicant
Two passport photographs of the applicant
Medical certificate of fitness of the applicant from a government hospital;
and such other documents , requirements and information which the court may demand for the purposes of adoption
Further conditions include that the Applicant must be 25 years of old and must be at least 21 years older than the child. If the applicant is unmarried, he or she must have attained the age of 35 and must be of same sex with the child to be adopted.
Applicants must be of unquestionable character, and have the financial muscle to take care of the child adequately.
However, in practice, the Child Welfare Department handles the conditions precedent, and ensures that the required conditions are fulfilled. It then submits the application with its report to the court. The Ministry makes its report after investigations have been carried out by its development officers on the suitability of the applicant to adopt a baby.
The court then makes its final decision. In making that decision the court must first consider the best interest of the child. Depending on the age of the child, the wishes and feelings of the child regarding the decision must be ascertained and taken into consideration.
The process may take up to one year and half to be completed from application to the actual adoption order.
I must point out that some states in Nigeria have slightly different procedure from others.
Many People have different reasons for going for adoption. Childlessness, companion for an only child, to replace a dead child, or to simply assist an abandoned child, to simply to give a home and better living condition to the less privileged child. Whatever is your good reason, know that adoption is legal, commendable, acceptable, good, and honourable. Do not shy away from it. Do it legally to stem the tide of child theft.