Abstract:

This study surveys the disposition of Nigerians to commercial gestational surrogacy. It also examines the moral dilemma created by the fragmentation of motherhood into biological, gestational, and social motherhood that has created enormous conflicts over who should be considered a ‘mother’ and the concomitant parental rights and responsibilities for a child. The debates surrounding gestational surrogacy and its implications on existing reproductive rights raises most profound issues on the maternal roles which historically resided in one mother, and how this phenomenon can be situated within the African cultural milieu. While legislations exist in many countries on the permissibility or otherwise of commercial gestational surrogacy, there are no meaningful legislation specific to commercial gestational surrogacy in Nigeria. Therefore, the overall objective of this research is to determine the Nigerian disposition to commercial gestational surrogacy. To achieve this objective, a total sample size of two thousand (2000) questionnaires containing thirty items, aimed at capturing the subjectivity and phenomenology of this study, were randomly distributed amongst some selected Nigerians, and responses were collected and analyzed using simple percentages. Data collected indicates that 89.2% of the respondents were negatively disposed to commercial gestational surrogacy. Findings further show that gestational surrogacy presents challenges with some ethical and Afrocentric objections and unfavourable disposition. In conclusion, this study recognizes that gestational surrogacy has the potentials to adversely impact the value of human dignity and the family unit, and therefore a problem of public ethos. This study recommends that an authentic Afrocentric ethics should drive any legislation that might emanate from Nigeria concerning commercial gestational surrogacy, that Afrocentrism should be of paramount consideration in all gestational surrogacy engagements. Therefore, the Afrocentric import of gestational surrogacy should form a starting point of all engagements and actionable programmes in this novel emerging moral dilemma called “gestational surrogacy.”