Yohane Banda, the father of the Malawian boy Madonna has adopted, did not fully understand the meaning of "adoption" when signing the papers earlier this month.
- Oct 23, 2006
AceShowbiz - Seems the story behind Madonna's adoption of a Malawian boy will continue. The father of the child, Yohane Banda, turns out to have not realized that he actually has given up his parental rights on the boy, whose name is David Banda.
"Our understanding was that they would educate and take care of our son just as they were doing at the orphanage," the 32-year-old illiterate peasant farmer said to The Associated Press through a telephone interview. "If we were told that she wants to take the baby as her own we could not have consented, because I see no reason why I should give away my son."
Assuming that David will go back to his homeland when he grows up, Banda has admitted that he had no idea of the significance of the papers by the time he signed the adoption papers earlier this month in the High Court in Lilongwe. Furthermore, he also recalled that either the director of Child Welfare Services Penston Kilembe or the retired pastor, who heads the orphanage where David was intended to spend most of his life, have never informed him that by "adoption" it meant David will cease to be his son.
Though so, Banda earnestly expressed his gratitude to the pop star regarding her willingness to take David under her care. "We are still thankful Madonna has rescued him from poverty and disease; we pray for the good Lord to keep blessing her for her benevolence," Banda said.
Concerning this matter, both Kilembe and Madonna's Malawian lawyer Alan Chinula refused to give any comments with the latter saying his clients have not given him any fresh instructions while insisting the singer to have followed all the procedures to adopt the child.
