WHAT DO YOU SAY? ADOPTION?

The above title is the exact angry outburst of Mr. Anderson. He is frustrated. Reason? His wife have not been able to bear him children. "You? suggesting adopting a child? I can't believe am hearing this from you'', he continued even angrier. "Yes honey, his wife in a shaky voice tries to, without success for the umpteenth time to convince her husband about adoption. "I mean we can simply adop...... "shut up!, shut up I say", Mr. Anderson thundered, cutting his wife shot. "Now listen carefully, it's now clear that you can't give me children and do you know what am going to do?, yes am going to marry another wife who is going to give me children and you?, is definitely leaving this house.

Just like that. Almighty-without-blame Mr. Anderson passed his unfair judgement on his poor wife, worst still, banishing her from the home she has come to accept as her own. How would she take this? Certainly not good because she is already broken with total sense of deep loss. Unfortunately such is the travails of women in Africa and particularly in Nigeria matrimonial homes who can not bear their own kids.

Now talking about adoption; In the Europe and America. Adoption is a beautiful and welcome idea for couples who can't have their own biological chilren. Thus adoption saves the day and pressures are eliminated for these couples, bringing in happiness and ultimately sustaining relationship between husbands and wives. But in Nigeria, adoption is like a lone song being sung by the very few. Yes!, statistic shows that the number of couples who take to adoption as an alterntive means of having their own kids and family are very low. Terribly low are this statistics that the society don't see it and ofcourse no thanks to cultural barriers and unpopular campaign.

However, unless a continous and positive and educative awareness is staged to popularise and vigourously encourage couples to go for adoption, lots of homes and marriage are going to suffer and the poor wives, just like the case of Mrs. Anderson will always be the real loosers. And talking about saving homes and marriages, had it been that adoption had been well poularised, campaigned and councelled in clinics, government agencies and concerned private sector, perhaps maybe the fate that had befallen Mrs. Anderson would not have been. Mr. Anderson perhaps too would not have blastered, thundered and threatened his wife of her home and happiness. So are you out there?, in the same situation as the Anderson's? Please stop asking.... What? Adoption? As if it's a plague, instead embrace it, keep your wife and live happily ever after.