By Yemi Olajutemu
Ado Ekiti
United State of America Consulate Manager in charge of Fraud Prevention, Mr. Brian Peterson today paid a courtesy visit to Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice John Adeyeye in his office.
In his address, Mr. Peterson thanked the Chief Judge, other Judges and Magistrates handling cases of child adoption, for the global standards and best practices employed in the dispensation of Justice in the state.
Mr Peterson explained that his team had been to other states, but the visit to Ekiti became necessary as part of his assignment in Nigeria which is to familiarize with extant laws and conditions put in place by each State in Nigeria on child adoption (who handles the cases, process and procedures in adopting a child among others)
As the United State Consulate, he is at the receiving end for any wrong or deceitful VISA application granted to adoptee parents, he concluded.
Responding on behalf of the Chief Judge, Justice Monisola Abodunde thanked Mr. Peterson and his team for the visit. She said that Family Court of Ekiti State Judiciary has been handling cases of Child adoption while the High Court only intervenes when it comes to the issue of who takes custody of the child.
Justice Abodunde familiarized the team with the established laws of the state regarding child adoption and explained that there are extant Laws that empowers the State Chief Judge to make additional Rules of Court to regulate the practices and procedures. She added that, a committee had been set up to fashion out more protective measure in order curb incessant child labour and child trafficking in the state.
In her words ” the issue of child adoption starts with the Ministry of Women Affairs and ends in court”.
Another speaker at the occasion, Chief Magistrate Titilola Ola-Olorun corroborated Justice Abodunde’s position. She said, the court is using a Practice Direction now which shall be improved upon as it applies in Ekiti State Civil Procedure/ Criminal Matters, adding that, Section 125 Part 7 of the Direction has taken care of child adoption issue in Ekiti State. She promised to find out possibility of making the soft copy of the Law available to the Consulate.
Other dignitaries at the occasion include Chief Magistrate Bankole Oluwasanmi, Chief Magistrate Kehinde Awosika, a member of the Consulate team, Mr. Bayo Olorunsogo among others.