DNA Sh*ck? Experts Say Fatherhood Is More Than Blood, Urge Men To Stay For The Children

Nigerian Mental Health Experts Urge Fathers Not to Abandon Children After DNA Revelations

Nigerian mental health professionals have advised fathers against rejecting their children if DNA tests reveal they are not the biological parents.

The experts spoke to The Punch following the release of a new DNA testing report by Smart DNA Nigeria, a Nigerian forensic laboratory. The report showed that between July 2024 and June 2025, one in every four Nigerian men who underwent paternity testing discovered they were not the biological fathers of the children tested.

The 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report revealed that 25% of men tested returned negative results, slightly lower than the 27% recorded in 2024. Firstborn children were the most affected, with 64% of disputed firstborn sons and a significant proportion of firstborn daughters found not to be biologically related to their presumed fathers.

Speaking to the publication, the experts stressed that discovering one is not the biological father should not serve as a justification for emotionally or physically abandoning a child. They warned that such actions could have severe and long-lasting consequences on the child’s mental health.

“Children must never bear the brunt of paternity disputes,” the professionals said, emphasizing that, regardless of biological findings, children deserve consistent love, care, and psychological stability.

The experts acknowledged a rise in paternity fraud cases in Nigeria, which has led many men to discover through DNA tests that they are not the biological fathers of the children they have been raising. While these revelations can be emotionally challenging for adults, mental health professionals cautioned that the real victims are often the children, who may face rejection, neglect, or even abuse.

Dr. Yesiru Kareem, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, highlighted the emotional toll on children who suddenly realize that the man they have always called “father” no longer wants to play that role.

“This rejection can lead to severe psychological consequences, including depression, anxiety, identity crises, and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts,” Kareem said. He stressed that fatherhood goes beyond genetics and involves emotional, psychological, and social responsibility.

Kareem explained that children often form deep bonds with their father figures from an early age, and severing these bonds abruptly can cause lifelong emotional scars. He advised that paternity revelations, if necessary, should be handled with compassion, discretion, and professional mental health support.

He added, “Even when DNA results reveal non-paternity, it is essential to continue providing emotional support and stability for the child. Abandonment only worsens the trauma.”

Clinical psychologist Dr. Juliet Ottoh reinforced the importance of handling such information carefully. She noted that children may internalize rejection as personal failure, damaging their self-worth and trust in others.

“Children in their formative years are highly sensitive to emotional shifts,” Ottoh explained. “Discovering that their father is no longer willing to relate to them as before, especially after a DNA revelation, can lead to confusion, fear, withdrawal, and academic decline.”

She added that negative paternity revelations can expose children to societal stigma, particularly if the situation becomes public. Ottoh also noted potential long-term effects on relationships, with male children potentially developing distrust toward women and female children fearing rejection or deceit in future relationships.

The psychologist urged fathers to continue fulfilling their parental responsibilities, stressing that walking away suddenly undermines years of emotional bonding.

“Many men have built meaningful relationships with these children over the years. Abandoning them abruptly destroys the emotional foundation that has been established,” she said.