Seeing things differently

Religious reasons for unwillingness to adopt carried the highest number of respondents. According to the inclusion criteria into this work, all were basically Christians in religion. However, some implicated their traditional religious beliefs as reasons why they cannot adopt. Among the Ebonyi people, even as Christians, traditional religious convictions are given its right of place. Ebonyi people‟s worldview is used to perceive reality even as Christians. That is why even some avowed Christians and even priests dread dying without a successor. The names Obiefuna - may my lineage not go extinct, Obiechina - may my lineage not close up, and names like such, represent the innermost prayer and desire of persons who have overcome infertility. This stance, is supported by the traditional religious values of the Igbo that is inate in the Ebonyi Christian. Ekwunife (2016) cited occasions where priests that have taken the oath of celibacy and life of absolute denial of self, for the service of God, still

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went out of their way to beget children secretly. Further, the African nay Igbo traditional religious perception of the cyclic nature of life is opposed to the Christian lineal perception of life. Yet the Ebonyi Christian unconsciously pursues his innate trado-religious beliefs through a desperate search for a child which child adoption offers solution to.

However, Christianity promises unlimited solution to all of man‟s life crises issues, which includes a birth child. As a prequalification criteria, for the blessing of a child, Christianity demands uncompromising faith in God. Therefore considering the option of child adoption is compromise, amounting to faithlessness that disqualifies the Christian from receiving his heart desires which is a birth child. It is unfortunately a dilemma situation which some Christians will attempt to pursue by looking up to God for a birth child in exercise of their faith.

It is important to discuss the respondents‟ views about the acceptance of adoption in their religion, bearing in mind that all are Christians. The differences in their religion therefore can only mean the denominational bounds within the Christian religion. By the area culture approach to the analysis of Ebonyi Christian couples experience, when religion is mentioned, also the traditional religion and worldview of the Igbo is also considered even as avowed Christians. The argument of strange bloodline as strong influence of the traditional religion on the life of the Ebonyi person therefore count. Sunday Alike & Mercy Nwodom (Personal communication, 7^th August, 2018) agreed that their Christianity supports child adoption while Cletus Otubo, Friday Mbam and Evelyn Edeze among others did not favor child adoption within their Christian denomination. It therefore implies that more than half of the respondents as Christians are not convinced to adopt, at the face of childlessness and infertility, on the basis of their Christian religious conviction. Ugwueye & Umeanolue (2015) arguing for consanguinity and polygamy at the face of childlessness as opposed to monogamy and child adoption as Christians, noted that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David,

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Solomon who occupy central position in the Christocentric religion were all polygamists.

Even ardent Christians in demonstrating their faith in Gods ability to give them their own biological children will vehemently refute adoption, so as not to compromise their faith. It is significant because it affects the willingness of adopters to actually take an adopted child. In other words, some people are not willing to adopt in Ebonyi State because their religion does not support them to do so. This does not mean that adoption is strange in Ebonyi as Mr Eme Emmanuel and Mrs Nwangbo Juliana (Personal communication, 4^th May, 2018 ) admited that their brand of Christian religion supports child adoption. Likewise they too will be favorably disposed to adopt but constituting a lesser proportion of the individuals who have need to adopt and would take up the option.

Among the respondents who favored child adoption in their Christian denomination or encouraged it, none could cite a particular passage of the bible that supports or encouraged a childless person to adopt. Other reasons proffered for favoring child adoption in their Christianity was rationalized. On the other hand, some respondents whose religion did not favour child adoption could not profer a reason to support their claim. One Chief Nwiboko 72 (personal communication, 7^th August, 2018) even claimed that adopters will go to hell as a core traditionalist although he attends church on Sundays. This therefore shows that child adoption is not a practice that is rooted in the Christian religion. However, it has no justifiable reason for being rejected. It is a culture that emanated from the Ancient Rome. As long as it serves the human race, it should be accepted. The adopter, the adoptee and the wider society are mutual beneficiaries to the act of child adoption. Therefore the practice should be upheld as rational thinking is often objective.

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