17/11/2025
Getting Custody/Rights Of A Child Born Outside Wedlock. (Part 2) By OluyemisiEbadanesq.
CHILD’S RIGHT ACT, CAP C50, LFN, 2010
Sections 68 and 69 of the Child’s Right Act, Cap C50, LFN, 2010 which relates to access to and custody of a child born outside wedlock, allows a Father or Mother of a child born outside wedlock to file an application before the Family Court established under the Act, seeking an order granting him/her custody and parental responsibility for the child, and/or right of access to the child in the absence of custody.
This jettisons resort to self-help by means of threat, coercion or force in order to have or remain in custody of the child born outside wedlock as any disobedience of such order of court granting custody in favour of the father or mother, will amount to contempt which when established can lead to imprisonment.
On the damning effect of a parent abandoning or deserting a child as against the parent who has been taking responsibility, in custody proceedings, Section 72 of the Child Rights Act provides thus:
“72. Principal on which questions relating to custody, upbringing, etc., of child is to be decided.
Where the parent of a child has:-
abandoned or deserted the child; or
allowed the child to be brought up by another person at the expense of that other person, for such a length of time and under such circumstance as to satisfy the Court that the parent was unmindful of his parental responsibilities,
the Court shall not make an order for the child to be delivered to the parent, unless the parent satisfies the Court that, having regard to the welfare of the child , the parent is a fit and proper person to have the custody of the child.”
Section 74 of the Act empowers the Court in a custody proceedings to consult the wishes of the child, whose interest is paramount, as to the parent of choice where the child is capable of communicating, in order to aid the Court in granting any order.
On the fundamental nature of the interest of a child, Section 1 of the Child’s Right Act, which is in parimateria with the Child’s Rights Law of Cross River State, Law No. 4, 2009, provides that “In every action concerning a child, whether undertaken by an individual, public or private body, institutions or services, court of law or administrative or legislative authority, the best interest of the child shall be the primary consideration.”
A similar provision is embedded in Article IV of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. It states that “In all actions concerning the child undertaken by any person or authority the best interest of the child shall be the primary consideration.” Paragraph 2 of the said Article protects the views or choices of the child in any administrative or judicial proceedings.
To Be Continue in (part 3) for more information contact us on whatapps/call on 08034377569 or email on [email protected]