Among the Ashanti of Ghana, children are not recognized as their father's property, but trace their lineage through the matrilineal line. At first, I was that it was an absurd tradition. An interview granted by Nana Rawlings (she was then the first lady of Ghana) that trust was solely lacking in some marriages among the Ashantis did not even make sense to me. Dont get me wrong, I was a teenager then and had not been thrust into the world of betrayal and marital infidelities. I just thought it would be ridiculous if I grew up in Ghana, and then, bam, my father dies, and my mom, including my siblings were kicked out of the house.

As a grown up man, I can't fault their tradition, though I wont adhere to it. On the Oprah Winfrey show, some years back, she had on a guest who narrated a heart rending story to her. He was recently widowed with two daughter and a son, or so he assumed. His two adult daughters were in college when his wife announced that she was pregnant. Naturally, he was excited, an excitement that became intense when he found out that the foetus was a boy. Later on, she gave birth to a baby boy, but died months after her delivery. Devastated, the man told Oprah that it was the month old baby that saw him through the crisis in his life. A year or so later, he received a nasty letter from some guy telling him to return the baby, that it wasnt his. Dumbfounded, he made an investigation and the case landed in court. A DNA was taken and the baby was not his, his wife had cheated on him.

The man, still would not give up on the child he so much loved and the presiding judge agreed with him, so he had to share custody with the real biological father of his wife's baby. He told Oprah that the child sometimes seemed confused (he was past five then) and would ask him who the other man was that was coming to pick him up for visitation rights. Oprah asked him if he had told him the truth that the man was actually his biological father, but he shook his head. So, when he was asked again if he knew that his late wife had been unfaithful, he replied in the negative, but told her that upon investigation, the phone calls, and the trips she had undertaken all made sense to him.

I aint even going to ask any of you if the judge should award custody of the child to the biological father of this child, because I wouldnt (maybe an unpopular view, but I stick to it), but my question is this, would you perform a DNA test on your children?

Even the most confident men sometimes get edgy or even offended if a remark that "The child looks like their mother" is made. But in Nigeria chances of a woman conceiving a child outside the black race is quite slim because of our more than 90 percent black population. Abroad here with different mixture of races, hmmm, sometimes a child with a different color from the father is bound to raise suspicion.

I know I would do a DNA test on my kids, unless they are my spitting image. Heck, if I insist on a prenup, why would I not do a DNA testing on my , that those two are co-related, what will prevent an unfaithful woman from cleaning out her husband?kids? My supervisor at work told me that he wouldnt, because of the trust he would have on his wife, but he will insist on a prenup though. But these two scenarios are co-related, an unfaithful wife may still divorce the husband and take half of his property.

What do you think?


P/S: Here is the Oprah show that interviewed the widower who found out that his late wife was unfaithful to him. The latest news is that the judge finally awarded custody of the boy to his biological father. Here it is, https://www.oprah.com/own-oprahshow/a-dna-test-reveals-a-family-secret-after-moms-death

yes, almost all ma friends r 4rom Ghana and yea, itz true, they mostly answer their mother's names and in most cases, more respectful to their mothers than their fathers and maybe cuz their women can marry a man, move to another place with da kid(s) and get married to another person, datz their tradition i come to realize

children are not recognized as their father's property

What he means to say is that children are not regarded as belonging to their father.

Ghana is a Maternal society.

Ive been there a couple of times and thats the only thing that pisses me off.

I suppose by 'maternal' you don't mean female dominated, right? Their president is male, and so are most politicians!

Maternal as in, like what Hotstepper said, answering to their mother, children bearing their mother's surnname, and her being considered as the kinda root in the family.

or is it not "Maternal" that such societies are called?

@Kimba:

I believe the word is 'matrilineal'. 

really it's no difference Genial, maternal, matrilineal, it's all one

maternal is Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood; motherly:

matrilineal is Relating to, based on, or tracing ancestral descent through the maternal line.


it's all the same, really

. At first, I was that it was an absurd tradition. An interview granted by Nana Rawlings (she was then the first lady of Ghana)

    hey! wipe your mouth on the ground! her name aint ''Nana Rawlings''     don't let me hear U say that again! mention the full name for maximum Understanding it's ''Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings'' U teas?? U hear??

that trust was solely lacking in some marriages among the Ashantis did not even make sense to me

wipe Ur mouth on the ground!

why should i? when i'll have a hubby who trusts me

yes i will

just to be sure that I had them for Will Smith and not Segun Arinze

Just don't trust women! get ur Kids tested just to make sure,I'm writing from a hard learned lesson.

I fit do am if the woman wey carry belle na oyibo

hey! wipe your mouth on the ground! her name aint ''Nana Rawlings'' don't let me hear U say that again! mention the full name for maximum Understanding it's ''Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings'' U teas?? U hear??

lmao rhody


correct him ooooo

mrmayor:

Just don't trust women! get your Kids tested just to make sure,I'm writing from a hard learned lesson.

Hmmm, thats deep!



_{if women can't be trusted who should we trust?Men?}

Supposing you discover that your child isn't really your biological child. What good result will come out of that?

abi o !

Read the link below

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-104748.0.html

No!  I know who they belong do.  They all know their father(s)


Maybe the man should.   Especially in that Nigeria.

As the saying goes any child is mama's[b] baby [/b] and dada's "maybe" !!!

Every woman knows the father of her child, but most men do not have any idea!!!!!

Not every woman knows the father of her baby. Think of women with multiple partners who appear on talkshows for paternity test, because they have no clue on who fathered their child

@ topic ofcos NO.
when that time comes,i should be able to proudly say"this is for paul and this is for barnabbas"

@AJ,suffri ooooh abegi.lol

If[b]y[/b]. . . .
Naught[b]y[/b]. . .

Nah! There would be no need testing

Once i see them or they start misbehaving, i'll know where they r from

Lol Joking Oh! This is a serious case. I think I'll die if my hubby ever asks for a DNA test. To think he doesn't trust me again, is enough death & then talking of a DNA Test for his kids I'll resurrect & die again. I can't think of my guy or future hubby not trusting me. Nah!Nah Nah!! No test for no reason.

Seun:

Supposing you discover that your child isn't really your biological child. What good result will come out of that?

The good is that you will not live in deceit. You will also be able to have unflinching confidence in your wife. And if the result turns out to be negative, then you will know the kind of snake you have at home.

4 wetin now?
i call them my kids then i would go do a "DNA" i guess somethin doesnt add up right then!

Laughing my fantabulous ass off @ some of the replies here.

chiegemba:

4 wetin now?
i call them my kids then i would go do a "DNA" i guess somethin doesnt add up right then!

Of course, as a lady, you dont need DNA to know if the children are yours but will their father have the same confidence you have? That is where the DNA becomes very useful. To make him a proud father of his children.

jintujinta:

Of course, as a lady, you don't need DNA to know if the children are yours but will their father have the same confidence you have? That is where the DNA becomes very useful. To make him a proud father of his children.

So what would b stoppin him from havin d same confidence? so without d DNA he wont b a proud father of his children? "Oh Please!!! "  You sound like men r "Saints" and women d "Sinners''

chiegemba:

So what would b stoppin him from havin d same confidence? so without d DNA he wont b a proud father of his children? "Oh Please!!! " You sound like men r "Saints" and women d "Sinners''

Hmm, chiegemba, i never said so. In fact, we all are culprits, its just that some get away with it. But what am saying is that whenever anyone is caught, i think such a person should dance to the music. Such a penalty or perceived punishment could serve as a deterrent to recklessness in some situations. if i know that i will be forgiven after shedding some crocodile tears, i may as well do it and get away with it.

It depends on he kind of woman I end up marrying. However, if I have ANY reason to suspect, I'll do the DNA test, of course in consultation with wifey.

@Richyblack, so you will consult your wife, before taking the child for a DNA testing. Tell me, how can you even broach such a sensitive subject with her which borders on trust? You will be at the losing end if the result shows you are the father and you could pay big time for you have betrayed your wife's trust. If it is negative, oh well, that one is another wahala.