Published 12th Aug, 2023

By Tola Owoyele

After ‘Fisayo Soyombo’s extraordinary undercover investigation on how Arrows of God orphanage, a private child welfare institution, sold Oriade Runsewe, a six-month-old baby, to two individuals who disguised as a couple looking to adopt a child, a whole lot of questions have been raised as regards Nigeria’s child adoption and fostering process.

In the 19-month-long investigation, the orphanage eventually sold the baby to the couple in exchange for N2 million.

A major bottleneck that was identified while Nigerians reflected on the story was the unnecessarily lengthy and harrowing period willing couples are most times subjected to in Nigeria when it comes to child adoption.

The long wait push willing foster parents to lean towards orphanages such as Arrows of God for help. As laid down by the Child Rights Act of 2003, here are the appropriate steps prospective foster parents must take when adopting a child in Nigeria:

1.PRE-APPROVAL FROM STATE WELFARE AGENCY

Depending on the state in which they reside, prospective parents are expected to first make a formal child adoption request to the state government’s welfare agency, requesting approval to start the adoption process.

Once the request is made, the applicants are interviewed by the office of the director of social welfare to determine whether they are suitable for child adoption or not.

2.COURT APPLICATION

Once the applicants make it past the interview with the social welfare office, a child adoption application must be submitted to the registrar of a competent court.

The application must be accompanied by a marriage certificate, the birth certificate or sworn declaration of age of applicants, passport photographs of the applicants and a medical fitness report of each applicant, preferably issued by a government hospital.

3.INVESTIGATION BY STATE WELFARE AGENCY

On receiving the application, the court issues an order to the social welfare office for an investigation or background check to be carried out on the prospective parents to determine their suitability for child adoption.

At this stage, the court also appoints a guardian ad item who represents the interest of the child throughout the adoption process. The guardian ad item plays the role of a probation officer and submits a report to the court once he or she completes the court assignment.

He or she would continue to represent the child’s interest while the court questions the prospective parents until an adoption order granting legal custody is issued.

4.RECOMMENDATION BY WELFARE OFFICER

The welfare officer would regularly visit the home of the prospective parents until he or she is convinced that the adopted child is settled in his or her new home.

After this, the welfare officer submits a recommendation to the court.

5.COURT ORDER

In reaching a final decision and issuing an adoption order, the court will consider circumstances that include the mapped out plans by the adoptive parents aimed at safeguarding the welfare, safety and best interest of the child throughout childhood.

After critically examining this, the court either issues or denies the adoption order.

6.FINAL DOCUMENTATION

Once the adoption order is issued, the new parents are expected to obtain a new birth certificate listing them as the child’s parents.

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