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DNA Paternity Trend in Nigeria
Hey Fam, Happy New Year! I hope 2021 brings to fulfilment all our heart desires and most importantly for us to live our normal lives once again!
2021 actually started on a very interesting note, from the butt of the richest man in Nigeria- Aliko Dangote trending on the internet to getting unsolicited relationship/marriage advice and the biggest and most controversial of them all so far- the paternity scandal involving the managing Director of FCMB Adam Nuru and Moyo Thomas a former employee of the bank.
Paternity Fraud in Nigeria
The conversation around paternity fraud in Nigeria is not new but with the recent revelations, it seems Nigerian men are not going to let it slide this time around. Will you blame them? After reading several shocking experiences involving the subject of paternity, I’ll only say that it’s not a crime if a man decides to confirm if the children are truly his.
What is Paternity Fraud?
Paternity fraud is the pretense that a father is the legitimate and biological father of a child. This is when a woman deliberately misidentifies a man as the biological and legitimate father of her child or children as the case may be.
Now this caught my attention on a piece on Wikipedia – A DNA expert from Lagos University Teaching Hospital claimed that 30% of the Nigerian men who went to paternity testing centers (paternity testing laboratories) were not the biological fathers of the children in their custody.
In the past I was of the opinion that any husband demanding a DNA test for any of his kids shows lack of trust. We all know that trust is a major factor for any relationship/marriage to be successful. Here is what I have to say, If performing a DNA paternity test would build trust please let it be most especially if you have nothing to hide. Yes this demand can be painful especially if you have been faithful. It will only be unfair to threaten to divorce him, sentiments aside!
What about cheating men? Some women have expressed their outrage on the issue of DNA paternity test. I stumbled upon a tweet “Men if DNA confirms the baby isn’t yours, it doesn’t change the fact that you must take responsibility for the baby…women go through a lot in marriages and women deserve better. “
“All these men making noise over DNA paternity test should also run fertility tests!”
“Men have been cheating and we’ve been dealing with it. If my husband runs a DNA test on our kids I’m asking for a divorce.”
According to a 2018 research, sperm counts of men in Africa have seen a decline over half a century now with Nigerian men taking the lead.
But what about the issue of maternity fraud? I have heard stories about babies being swapped and that would have probably been my story if my mum wasn’t alert enough to carry and observe me before being taken away by the nurses. I discussed this concern with a friend who informed me that nowadays, relatives are at standby immediately the woman delivers her baby. But there is still the what if?
How Much is DNA Test in Nigeria?
According to Dr. Ayodele Adeniyi of Paternity test Nigeria, there are different types of DNA tests and the price differs with each test.
Peace of Mind Testing: This test cost about ₦100,000 and an additional #50,000 for any other person who also runs to run the test for a particular purpose. That is, if two fathers want to run the test with one child, they will pay about ₦150,000.
Legal Testing: This is mostly done for the purpose of child support, social inheritance, immigration or any other legal case. According to child support, social inheritance, immigration or any other legal case. According to Dr. Ayodeji, this DNA testing cost about ₦160,000 and more depending on the circumstances surrounding the need for the test.
Please let’s join hands to stop this wickedness. Before you come up with a negative comment ask yourself how you will feel if you discovered that the man you have known all along as your father isn’t your biological father.
This post isn’t to exonerate cheating men. I would like to know your thoughts in the comment section on the blog as our tradition is.
Just in case you missed the last blog post: 3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T SKIP THE TALKING STAGE
14 comments On Paternity Fraud in Nigeria: Things You Should Know
Truth is most modern couples are not matured (emotionally, mentally and in all other ways) to get married… Most of them just get married because they feel they are financially stable… Unfortunately that’s not the only premise to get settled.
These fraud will keep occurring and will keep increasing till people start getting married only when they are truly ready for it.
Exactly… let me add that most people marry who is ready and not necessarily who they want to be with.
Different reasons like stated above has led to doubts and destructions in some certain families. I have heard in cases where the woman just wanted to have one last spinster fun and it happened. Sometimes, we need to be careful for the kind of lives we live.
That’s so true.
With all these stories here and there about DNA paternity test, I am not only concerned about knowing if I am the biological child of my Dad. My major concern is futuristic. I’m just thinking of when I get married and have my first child… I don’t want to start wondering if the child is mine or not. The thought alone is already making me feel sick 🤦♂️
Don’t feel guilty running a DNA paternity test on your child. If it will give you peace of mind go for it. I hope not to get offended in the future if my husband demands for it as well.
Hmmmm…interesting. thing I wonder is why wait till you get pregnant if indeed it was a mistake? Why cause an innocent man so much pain for you own selfish pleasure. Once a deed is done, just fix it, you have 72 hours to correct the mistake
Have you considered it may be deliberate? Some women have married just because the man was ready to settle down but still continue with their illicit affairs with their ex lovers.
Dear Nelly,
It is no longer news that in Nigeria, parentage fraud is the second largest in the world, with three out of 20 children in Nigeria reported to have non-biological fathers. But what seems most worrisome is that, with the lack of laboratory facilities in Nigeria, there is little chance of verifying biological fatherhood.
Honestly speaking it’s heartbreaking to find one day that Supposed Father (DADDY) whom I have lived with my entire life is not my father,
Now am not trying to exonerate the cheating Dad,truth be told it is totally unfair and I consider it to be a pure act of Barbarism for a wife,a mother to have a child for another man while being married
My question is to the Cheating Mother,why get married to your husband if you know you are going to cheat on your husband in the first instance? I rest my case
It’s indeed heartbreaking. I think one major problem here is that most women get married not necessarily because of love but simply because the man was ready to settle down.
Why will someone marry and still go for such test, infidelity issues is creeping into the African marriage system. In the past years our old parents had serveral wives and children yet they never had this issue.
Immatured couple or maybe we should blame it on “no more circumscision for the girl Child”.
Your comment just left me short of words.
Let me address this first, paternity fraud didn’t start in this generation it goes way back. Thanks to medical science one can now tell the paternity of a child through DNA tests and even via genotype when there’s a mismatch.
Girl circumcision is barbaric and I don’t see how this has contributed to the increase in paternity fraud in Nigeria.
The paternity fraud (took two to happen) will continue until there is a legal consequence to it.