Opinion

Opinion: The Recent Cases of Paternity Fraud in Nigeria

Published

4 years ago

Jan 22, 2021.

He sojourned in Canada for quite a while until he got his residential permit and decided to come back home. His wife of about eleven years, with three children, were all happy to hear the news that they would be going to Canada with him.

Part of the requirements for processing their travelling documents was DNA test, the test to show that he is the biological father of his three children. The wife was reluctant which the man took as laziness to go through the process and without her knowledge, to take the stress off her, he took the kids to the test center himself. He never suspected any foul play, the results came out and none of the kids were biologically his.

Its heart wrenching to find out after years of living with another that they have been unfaithful in significant ways, it’s so unfair and some have gone into depression at the revelation which has led to their deaths. I have heard of cases of women who visit the psychiatrist regularly because of the discovery of an affair by the spouses they trusted absolutely.

I listened to a faith-based preacher speak on the issue of paternity fraud and according to him, men who are mostly unhappy in their marriages have a second family in secrecy, to find temporary joy and happiness and I asked myself, why didn’t the man call his wife to let her know about his state of mind in the marriage and how they both would get it fixed?

What causes a woman to conceive by someone else and impose the child on another man?

There have been lots of arguments generated by this question which ranges in different forms. Some women, an argument says, carry the children of the men they wished they had married, another argument for paternity fraud is the financial standing of the biological father and yet another point a finger to the promiscuity of the women. However, one thing is sure, illicit affair of any form is pure evil and fraud!

No man should be subjected to that kind of torture: finding out that the children he had loved for a long time aren’t his and more so, no child or children should be subjected to that horror as the knowledge that they are fathered by an unknown person might affect them negatively.

Good old-fashioned but deep values and virtues of faithfulness and fidelity can never go out of relevance irrespective of geographical location or race. Individual who are in committed relationship should respect their vows and stay within the borders of their commitment, for this is a sure preventive measure against paternity fraud and its accompanying vices.

Lack of respect for sexual boundaries that causes issues like paternity fraud, second families, illicit affairs can be avoided if men and women alike, understand that there are restrictions that must never be crossed with people who they aren’t in a committed right relationship with.

Photo Credit: dreamstime.com

OLUWABUSAYO MADARIOLA

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