Good morning.

A friend of mine threw this at me this morning.

His friend got his girlfriend pregnant. Went to her parents to legally marry her. But they said he should wait after delivery. They told him to take the girl with him back.

This girl stayed with him till she put to bed. He took care of her till the baby was one year old after which the girl returned to her family.

The guy has gone back to pay for her marriage rite and the story has changed. She is saying she is not ready for marriage and they won't allow him have the baby.

Since he hasn't paid for her bride price, can he claim ownership of the baby.

Thanks

catch-22

NO.
The child belongs to d mother and can only choose to go back to his dad when he is an adult.

Dats According to our custom.

She is not ready for marriage right? OK.. I will hold dat statement against them...

you dn't claim ownership of children by bride price, it is by connection. so long d friend didnt abandon d gurl when he was needed, d baby will eventually look for his father.

Instead of trying to claim paternity/ownership.
He should probably try to find out from the girl what her plans her. Maybe she's still schooling or something and she just wants to finish up.

On the other hand, they already stayed together for a year or so , so I don't see the biggie as per why she's not ready to settle down. But it all still boils down to communication. He needs to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.

Trust me, it's not easy raising a child alone. He should try and work things out with her. But if everything then fails , he can consider taking paternity though he should bear it in mind that no court will release a toddler to d father until the child is 7/8 years except the lady has been proven beyond reasonable doubt to be incapable of taking care of the child.

Hope this helps. Good morning.

mineANDurs:
NO.
The child belongs to d mother and can only choose to go back to his dad when he is an adult.

Dats According to our custom.

rili? God forbid d baby has an issue dat blood is needed and d father's own match, wat wuld they do? since d dude took responsibility and didnt deny her nor abscond, i dnt see why his son shld be kept away from him.

I

Mtsw

Dis early monday momo naim 1 useless thing dey enter thread

Don't know how things are in your country, but this is a family court matter. No one parent has full "ownership" of the child when both parents are still alive. That's primitive & absurd. If he wants a relationship with his child, he should go to court & sue for visitation rights or custody. Usually the child goes to the more responsible parent of the two. Just because someone is the mother, doesnt make them a good parent or sole "owner" by default. That's garbage! This is 2016 & not the dark ages of jungle law.

shegxi:
rili? God forbid d baby has an issue dat blood is needed and d father's own match, wat wuld they do? since d dude took responsibility and didnt deny her nor abscond, i dnt see why his son shld be kept away from him.

The child wont be kept away from him, he has d right to come visiting but the child will bear the mother's surname and wont b given to him.

I think the law was made to discourage men from abscounding after knocking up a woman.

No marriage, no baby! Dats d tradition.

I like it shaa

mineANDurs:


The child wont be kept away from him, he has d right to come visiting but the child will bear the mother's surname and wont b given to him.

I think the law was made to discourage men from abscounding after knocking up a woman.

No marriage, no baby! Dats d tradition.

I like it shaa

lol, y wn't u like it? but d guy wants marriage now.