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[size=18pt]Mothers for rent - greed by any other name [/size]
[size=15pt]•Girls now bear children for men for a fee[/size]
By HENRY UMAHI
Saturday, October 17, 2009


It may sound incredible, but it is true. Many Nigerian ladies now bear children for men just for a fee. They are all over town, in Lagos and other parts of the country, looking for men to conceive for, not as wives but simply for commercial purposes. And once they are delivered of the babies, they hand same over to their ‘customers’ and move on.

It seems that with the nation’s economy teetering on the precipice and millions of Nigerians experiencing excruciating hardship, as a result of the global financial meltdown, some of the citizens are, characteristically, adopting survival strategies with a touch of ingenious creativity. In this case, women are giving good accounts of themselves in the game of survival.

Saturday Sun investigation revealed that the pregnancy-for-money has become a lucrative business, to the extent that many Nigerian ladies find it attractive. The men they bear children for may not be acquaintances or people they know. The bottom-line is the money involved. Conception could be through artificial insemination or sexual intercourse. To play the role, the ladies charge between N150, 000 and N200, 000. This sum, however, does not include antenatal bills.

While investigating the story, Saturday Sun undercover reporter got six young ladies to have babies for him for a fee. One of them, who claim to be carrying a three-month pregnancy currently, agreed to hand over the baby to him whenever it was delivered.

Agnes, as she identified herself, was not keen to disclose the source of her pregnancy. When asked who was responsible for the pregnancy she wants to sell, she retorted: “How I got pregnant is not the issue. If you want the baby, I will give it to you when I deliver and you pay me. That’s all.”

Indeed, getting the pregnancy-for-fee ladies is like a piece of cake. As soon as Saturday Sun broached the idea to one Miss Joy (surname withheld), a 25-year-old factory worker, she had no objection. To her, it was a familiar path. It seemed that she had done it before and was not averse to doing it again. And it was the Delta State indigene, who later introduced three of her friends or acquaintances who are also in the business.

After gaining Joy’s confidence, the reporter told her that he knew some childless couples who were also interested in such a deal. She thought about the proposal briefly and said she would arrange it if adequately motivated. In her words: “Na your money go waka for you.”

Joy charged a consultancy fee of N5, 000 and got to work. Within 48 hours, she got other ladies who would join her in the deal. She actually told the reporter that she could arrange as many of such ladies as there are clients because, according to her, it was a common practice among girls in Mushin and Ajegunle areas of Lagos, where she resides with her aged parents and siblings. She said she has connection with other ladies outside Lagos, who are also in the network. To show that she meant business, Joy offered her three-year-old love child for sale, as Saturday Sun reported a few months ago. Her asking price was N300, 000 to give up the baby boy.

One of the commercial mothers, Tonia, said: “If any guy wants me to have a child for him, I will consider it if he can pay me up to N200, 000. He will also pay my medical bills. He will pay the agreed sum in three instalments: He will pay me the first one when I take in; the second will be when the pregnancy is about six months old while the final payment will be after delivery. We can be making love from time to time until full term.”

Another “baby factory”, who gave her name as Sonia, 26, said she could accept N130, 000 but that the man would handle her upkeep until she puts to bed.
Busty and lively, she said she wouldn’t mind living with the man from about the fourth month of the pregnancy so that the man would continue sleeping with her, as couple do. However, unlike Tonia, she would collect half of the agreed sum shortly after she becomes pregnant and the other half when she puts to bed.

On her own part, Becky, who hails from Edo State, said that she would accept to render such service if the man would pay N100, 000, provide her accommodation as well as foot her other bills until she is delivered of the baby. She said the man has to take care of her as his wife during the period of the pregnancy.
Another lady in the business, who simply identified herself as Patience, an indigene of Cross River State, said: “When we agree and the man gives me belle, I go tell my senior sister that I want to travel. Then the man will give me where to stay until I born am.”

She said her pay-off was a lump sum of N150, 000, which she intends to use to start a business.
While all the ladies said they were ready to go for tests before the consummation of the deals, they pledged not to relinquish the custody rights over the babies they are rented to bear once money exchanged hands.

http://sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/oct/17/national-17-10-2009-002.htm

This is not just madness but i hope the govt would do something to stop it fast.
Besides, it is a poor biz, 150K fir a 9 month of their lives and a saggy breast, with big tommy and all that? is it really worth the trouble?
The men too have no idea what kinda disease and all that, that the kids might be inheriting.
Wetin money go cause, money sef no go fit handle am.

@ Femmmy WORD

This is more or less surrogate motherhood.
It is common in all of the west but a bit more refined that what has been posted here.

This is the least of our worries in that country.
If the politicians are not carting away our money all those young girls (every one of them) would have
a decent job.

Its hard to tell them to stop because you have no alternative solution, just mouth.
chikena!!

These things have been happening anyway

reminds me of this female friend i had, she was going out with one rich alhaji at the time and she was clearly in the rship for the money. But the Alhaji was completely gaga for her, and when he finally understood the girl's stand, He begged the chic just to give him a child with no strings attached in exchange for a car and an accomodation in abuja, I'll leave u to guess the rest.

This has been happening in the developed countries. Just that a lawyer is involved in signing the agreement the woman and the customer.Watch the series Desperate housewives.

Fhemmmy:

This is not just madness but i hope the govt would do something to stop it fast.
Besides, it is a poor biz, 150K fir a 9 month of their lives and a saggy breast, with big tommy and all that? is it really worth the trouble?
The men too have no idea what kinda disease and all that, that the kids might be inheriting.
Wetin money go cause, money sef no go fit handle am.

The only way this could stop is getting these young ladies employed. Life in Nigeria is survival of featest. Since the government refused to take care of the people, they have to do everything to survive. That is why we see all kind of evil going on in Nigerian, kidnapping, robbery, prostitution, womb for sale, Child for sale and all kind of unimaginable evil.

Like someone said b4 this is not a new thing coz it originated from the west, we have so many cases of such, jst that they do it in more organised way but that doesn't change the fact.

Even the payment is not that bad to an Ikaite from calabar or Ajegunle girl roaming on the street of Lagos without a shelter. Now she found a shelter for 9months, treated like a human for 9months and at the end of 9months gets 150k pay. Oh c'mon lets be sincere, no prostitute will abandon such offer in Nigeria. And mind you these ladies are at higher advantage, only the men are at risky for the men paying such amount of money coz this ladies might come back in future to claim their kids after receiving good training and upbringing from a good home.

this is not new only that it is peculiar to the western world.they are called surrogate mothers.i just hope the couples or individuals engaged in this act are wise enough to seek legal backup,so nobody pops up from nowhere to claim the child.

Fhemmmy:

This is not just madness but i hope the govt would do something to stop it fast.
Besides, [b]it is a poor biz, 150K fir a 9 month of their lives and a saggy breast, with big tommy and all that? is it really worth the trouble?[/b]The men too have no idea what kinda disease and all that, that the kids might be inheriting.
Wetin money go cause, money sef no go fit handle am.

you have no idea wat hunger and poverty can lead people to do.

hackney:

This is more or less surrogate motherhood.
It is common in all of the west but a bit more refined that what has been posted here.

This is the least of our worries in that country.
If the politicians are not carting away our money all those young girls (every one of them) would have
a decent job.

Its hard to tell them to stop because you have no alternative solution, just mouth.
chikena!!

Yes it has been happening in the western world and like you said, in a refined way. . . .the unrefined way of doing it in Nigeria is what makes it dangerous, when young girls that are still struggling to find out who they are already selling off their kids for some 150K that will not be enuf to take care of their bodies afterwards, then, we have some kinda nonsense staring us in the face in Nigeria.
Yes, i know the only way to stop is giving them a job, i think they need to stop being despirate too, and this men shd go thru the right channel, see a doctor and design how to get a child via surrogacy and not just go some doped ladies.

More of the question should be: what would the babies be used for ?  

o.val:

you have no idea wat hunger and poverty can lead people to do.

Yes, poverty can do anything to human, however, this is like selling their future for a bowl of rice

POSAKOSA1:

More of the question should be: what would the babies be used for ?  

That is a million $ question, but i guess the women dont care, they just wanna be paid and get doped and high and phuck around, and the men too are happy to have a kid via those kinda crack heads

the kids will probably be used for money rituals.

POSAKOSA1:

the kids will probably be used for money rituals.

That is a possibility, however, from the story, it says some men actually sleeps with the ladies to conceive and i will like to blv that such man will not use his child for rituals, but then, i cld be wrong, but i hope i am not wrong.

Fhemmmy:

That is a possibility, however, from the story, it says some men actually sleeps with the ladies to conceive and i will like to blv that such man will not use his child for rituals, but then, i cld be wrong, but i hope i am not wrong.

I re-read the story and it seems as though this is what childless couples do. adopt these children.

POSAKOSA1:

I re-read the story and it seems as though this is what childless couples do. adopt these children.

I honesty ave no problem with people adopting the kids, nor do i have a problem with surrogacy, but i see this as a case of people breeding kids for sale, i wont even be surprised if the ladies will before time induce themselves so that the child can come out quick and they can get pregnant fast again, cos the more belle they get, the more money they make.
So this means.
No proper medical attention.
No proper healing after birth.
No maternal affection for the child.
The child even from the womb knows no love, cos the bond of a mother to a child wont be there, cos the mother just making babies for money and i think it is pathetic.

Pure madness,greed&adultery

toba:

Pure madness,greed&adultery

The of such men shd cut off their balls

I've heard of surrogate mothers,who assist people with medical issues to bear children,but I think that is done in a structured way and under decent environments,not these ones that sound as if meat is being sold and bought in the open market

****_{shakes heard for a very sad situation}*******

rasputinn:

I've heard of surrogate mothers,who assist people with medical issues to bear children,but I think that is done in a structured way and under decent environments,not these ones that sound as if meat is being sold and bought in the open market

****_{shakes heard for a very sad situation}*******

GBAMMMMM.

And the kids are so loved by the surrogate mother and not just wanna push out the baby and go for next one.

rasputinn:

I've heard of surrogate mothers,who assist people with medical issues to bear children,but I think that is done in a structured way and under decent environments,not these ones that sound as if meat is being sold and bought in the open market

****_{shakes heard for a very sad situation}*******

Is there anything like decent environment in Nigeria? The fact is that is happens in the west and shouldnt expect it to happen the same way in Nigeria. if hunger and starvation could make people kill and eat the children, and poverty make people sold their love once out as slaves then it could make people sell their kids. We keep on talking abt civilization as if we have one in Nigeria, when the people are not quite far from the same scarcity and hardship that made them sold their loved once as slaves.
We should not expect less than what is happening in Nigeria at the moment as long as the system remains the same. Like someone suggestd we should be talking abt the solution and not effects.

Saying that its mainly the men that do this sorrugate deal with these girls is a bit being economical with the truth. A lot of childless women are equally in this deal either by way of using it to stabilize their marriage or some other reasons.

I think the government should get into this. Else, it will be another boost for ritual killings and evils. Like my friends said, will all the babies be adopted naturally or used for somethingelse.

God help 9ja. Our own thing dey different.

princekevo:

Is there anything like decent environment in Nigeria? The fact is that is happens in the west and shouldnt expect it to happen the same way in Nigeria. if hunger and starvation could make people kill and eat the children, and poverty make people sold their love once out as slaves then it could make people sell their kids. We keep on talking abt civilization as if we have one in Nigeria, when the people are not quite far from the same scarcity and hardship that made them sold their loved once as slaves.
We should not expect less than what is happening in Nigeria at the moment as long as the system remains the same. Like someone suggestd we should be talking abt the solution and not effects.

If you wake up one day and ready to marry and you asked the babe what she used to do for a living and she said, i used to get belle and sell the kids to men with money, what will u do.
Or your sista decided to join such trade, will you dance for her.
Or your mother decided to tell you that she did not sell you cos you were cute, that she has sold few while she was younger, i guess, you will go to church and give thanxgiving.
Let us be real, there is no civilization in Nija and there is no doubt about that, surrogacy is surrogacy while breeding children to be sold is a crime and shd not be tolerated.

naijacutee:

It is neither greed or madness. It is called surrogacy. The practice is common mostly among childless couples (This is exactly the same method through which Michael Jackson got his kids.). I wouldn't label the ladies as greedy. Afterall, the article says that one of them was only doing it to gain capital to start a business. It's simply a quest for survival. If you had any other means (accessible to her) through which she can gain capital to start a business, please let her know and let us see if she won't take it. People here just judge without even considering what it would be like in the other party's shoes.

inasmuch as i do agree with you that it do happen in western world and it is called surrogacy.
Like i said, if there are proper way of doing this, then, that is kool and 1derful, however, in Nigeria where anything goes?

Fhemmmy:

Or your mother decided to tell you that she did not sell you cos you were cute, that she has sold few while she was younger, i guess, you will go to church and give thanxgiving.

Rofl  _{Femi, please my ribs are cracking} 

@topic, POVERTY! It knows no boundaries. This ain't no SURROGACY people. This is POVERTY DRIVEN!. No Nigerian woman on a good day will agree to have babies for random men for money let alone not knowing where the baby goes next from her womb.  Regarding the 'barren' couples, No Nigerian woman is empathic enough to have her child for another person. That's just it.

Poverty has stricken to the point of selling your 'life' for N130,000 just to survive. Yaradua, wake up!! your country and people are DYING! 

People are justifying this as surrogate mothers but methinks it's nothing but extreme poverty[b][/b]. Look at the amount they are asking for, 200,000 naira (just over $1,000). That same 200,000 naira can not pay for 1 year rent of decent accomodation in so may places in Nigeria!

And we are wondering why there is a siege on all the embassies including the Chinese embassy, when they can choose to stay back in NIGERIA and live as "first class" citizens.

We have been enslaved, pure and simple. Before a nation goes into slavery, the citizens first become slaves in their country and the evidences abound.

Drivers working almost 18 hrs a day to get paid 15,000 naira.
House maids for 7,000 naira a month
People running the whole day in traffic just to sell plantain chips, recharge cards etc
Civil servants earning minimum wage of ~7,500 a month while a senator can legitimately earn over "30 million Naira"
Army of jobless high school / university graduates
Army of child beggars

we can keep deceiving ourselves but looks to me like there is trouble ahead. What NIgeria is setting itself up to is not pleasant. While we may not like to hear it, crude oil will go out of fashion even if you bring the OPEC sec gen to lambast America for considering alternatives.

Back to the topic, why are these girls not getting married?, Simple answer is the Men are unemployed and cannt be thinking of Marriage especially with the spiralling cost of living.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound!,

[b]You see, people are entitled to do what they like with their lives afterall, it's them the consequences will fall upon.  Nigeria is in dire strait - there's poverty everywhere you look.  Its awful!! Everyone is entitled to be alive so, what can the poor do? In situations like that, you have to swim or you drown and no one would want to drown, would you  Let people live their lives, whatever sin they commit in the need to feed themselves and their child, they are answerable! And for the people who exploit their situations, I don't blame them for their greed! Its not your fault if you couldn't have children (i.e. in certain situations, I do not mean self inflicted pain some women have caused themselves through series of abortions in their past). Not being able to have children is not the end of your life and, life must go on! One can go to the orphanages and adopt abandoned children. It goes both ways as we know, some people are 'Childless' and some children are 'Parentless' (that's my own constructed vocabulary - take note before you start your criticisms of my writing). 

All, I can say is if you have the heart to carry your own baby, give it away and then, live happily with your conscience afterwards, too sorry!

Western women do Surrogacy all the time for similar reasons and most of the times to help childless couples experience parenthood but, they ask for a leg 'n' an arm in money.  For Nigerian women to request some N130,00 is derisory, people! Far, far too small for their pain. Pain as we know it, is not only the 'physical pain' a woman experiences during child birth, what about the 'mental and emotional pain' of living with a guilty conscience for giving away her own child for the rest of her life, that is UNQUANTIFIABLE - no amount of money can compensate for that, people!

Remember, whatever you do in this life, you will answer for it one day! Too, bad!!! [/b]

Majority of these babies will be used for ritual purposes, and we should stop comparing Nigeria case with that of the west that has genuine reasons and love for such kids.

Agreed, the ladies opt for it due to poverty, person that can dole out #200k and over is he poor.

Pls lets be factual, this is another method of OTOKOTO, except govt are involved and ready to monitor the welfare of those kids, then money ritual is abound everywhere in nigeria.

Few nigerian families will accept adopted babies, it is purely not our culture.

^^^^^^^ do you always have to post in bolded and purple all the time, it doesn't make one want to read your posts. Its eye-blinding.  

I second globatop