Surrogate Mothers are not Baby Factories - by Reno Omokri
Article written by former presidential aide, Reno Omokri. Read below...
Tens of thousands of surrogate children are born each year in the Americas and even more in Europe. Anyone who has ever experienced childlessness either directly or indirectly through a relative, extended family or friend is likely to appreciate the role surrogate mothers play in bringing succor to such families. To ostracize them and tag them 'Baby Factories' is most unfortunate indeed.
Surrogate motherhood dates back to biblical times. Hagar was a surrogate mother to Sarah (see Genesis 16:1-2). Bilhah was a surrogate mother to Rachel (see Genesis 30:4). Most importantly, Mary was a surrogate mother to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. She carried The Almighty Father's child for Him after being immaculately conceived by The Holy Ghost. Joseph, her husband, was not the biological father of our Lord and Saviour. "An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."-Matthew 1:20. Are we going to criminalize what the Almighty God and the Patriarchs did?
This is the 21st Century, not the 12th Century. If women freely elect to be surrogate mothers, the government should not stigmatize them! What Nigeria should do is to effectively regulate these establishments to ensure that:
a. These women are there willingly, and
b. The babies go to good homes.
If government wants to show its exuberance, it should direct its law enforcement officials to go after real criminals, such as men who make babies with women and fail to cater for them. That is what civilized societies do! In the West, dead beat dads are chased after by the state and made to pay child support. But to criminalize what should be seen as a mutually beneficial venture is a waste of effort.
No one is standing up to speak for these unfortunate and innocent women whose only crime is that they are powerless, so I will raise my voice on their behalf. They are doing nothing wrong if all they are doing is having babies for those who cannot have them.
If on the other hand it is demonstrated that they are doing is more than this (such as providing kids to ritualists and occultists), then I will not support it, but that does not seem to be the case and until it is proven otherwise, these women will have an advocate in me.
Reno Omokri is the founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Center in California and the host of Transformations with Reno Omokri
I have been appalled reading about the raids on so called 'Baby Factories' in the media lately. These raids are a throwback to the Salem Witch Trials and I cannot believe that in Nigeria of the 21st Century we are stigmatizing what is an acceptable world wide culture that has brought hope to childless couples all over the world.
For the avoidance of doubt, these women are surrogate mothers who have children for childless couples. Every civilized nation accepts and promotes this practice as a humane option for childless couples.
The main reason many childless couples prefer a surrogate mother is because they want to know about the family history and genetics of the mother of their unborn child.
In many cases, when you adopt a child without knowing who the parents are and there arises a need in future for a blood transfusion or an organ donor, many adoptive parents get stuck. Other medical issues like cancer, or behavioral issues like autism and ADD/ADHD are better diagnosed and treated if you have family history, which is not possible with anonymous adoptions. So, the idea of surrogate motherhood fills this gap.
In Europe and the Americas as well as in Asia, surrogate mothers are well sought after and advertisements are placed in bus stations, newspapers, on the underground as well as on the Internet seeking out such women. I have included one such advert in this piece.
The main reason many childless couples prefer a surrogate mother is because they want to know about the family history and genetics of the mother of their unborn child.
In many cases, when you adopt a child without knowing who the parents are and there arises a need in future for a blood transfusion or an organ donor, many adoptive parents get stuck. Other medical issues like cancer, or behavioral issues like autism and ADD/ADHD are better diagnosed and treated if you have family history, which is not possible with anonymous adoptions. So, the idea of surrogate motherhood fills this gap.
In Europe and the Americas as well as in Asia, surrogate mothers are well sought after and advertisements are placed in bus stations, newspapers, on the underground as well as on the Internet seeking out such women. I have included one such advert in this piece.
Surrogate motherhood dates back to biblical times. Hagar was a surrogate mother to Sarah (see Genesis 16:1-2). Bilhah was a surrogate mother to Rachel (see Genesis 30:4). Most importantly, Mary was a surrogate mother to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. She carried The Almighty Father's child for Him after being immaculately conceived by The Holy Ghost. Joseph, her husband, was not the biological father of our Lord and Saviour. "An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."-Matthew 1:20. Are we going to criminalize what the Almighty God and the Patriarchs did?
This is the 21st Century, not the 12th Century. If women freely elect to be surrogate mothers, the government should not stigmatize them! What Nigeria should do is to effectively regulate these establishments to ensure that:
a. These women are there willingly, and
b. The babies go to good homes.
If government wants to show its exuberance, it should direct its law enforcement officials to go after real criminals, such as men who make babies with women and fail to cater for them. That is what civilized societies do! In the West, dead beat dads are chased after by the state and made to pay child support. But to criminalize what should be seen as a mutually beneficial venture is a waste of effort.
No one is standing up to speak for these unfortunate and innocent women whose only crime is that they are powerless, so I will raise my voice on their behalf. They are doing nothing wrong if all they are doing is having babies for those who cannot have them.
If on the other hand it is demonstrated that they are doing is more than this (such as providing kids to ritualists and occultists), then I will not support it, but that does not seem to be the case and until it is proven otherwise, these women will have an advocate in me.
Reno Omokri is the founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Center in California and the host of Transformations with Reno Omokri
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