Be strong, dad tells Madonna
2006-10-26 13:05
Lipunga - The father of the
boy that Madonna plans to adopt has pleaded with the
singer not to send his child back to Malawi, saying he still
supports her bid to take custody of the one-year old.
"My message to Madonna is that she should not be
discouraged, be strong. As we agreed and we expect that after
three to four years the child shall come back for us to see
him," Yohane Banda said on Wednesday.
"You (Madonna) should not be shaken or disturbed by this
because there are no ill intentions," he said.
Banda was responding to Madonna's remarks to US talk show
host Oprah Winfrey broadcast on Wednesday, when she expressed
concern over the controversy surrounding her planned adoption of
Banda's son David.
Banda said on Wednesday he knew the boy would be taken away
to be raised and educated by the 48-year-old star, but said he
was unclear about the legal agreement he had signed and still
regarded himself as the child's father.
"When we gave the child to Madonna we gave away the child
just like the orphanage would have done...to raise the child and
educate the child. We never wished that the child should come
back. What we are saying is that the child should not come
back," he said.
'It is not for them to fight for me...'
He also said he did not support efforts by Malawian human
rights groups, which have gone to court to try to block what
they say is an illegal adoption that could amount to child
trafficking.
Malawi's High Court will convene on Friday to decide whether
the rights groups have a case.
"I'm the father of the child in this case. If they wanted to
correct anything they should have called me or the family,"
Banda said. "It is not for them to fight for me and for the
so-called rights of my child."
The American singer told Oprah that she and her husband,
British film director Guy Ritchie, had met the boy's father in
court and obtained his consent.
The child is now at Madonna's London home with her other two
children - daughter Lourdes and son Rocco. Final
approval for the adoption order is expected in 18 months.
Madonna told Oprah she promised the father she would take the boy back for visits. After receiving an education and a
better life, she said, he might some day be able to return to
his homeland and help people there.
David has spent most of his life in an orphanage with 500
other children although his father is alive. Madonna said she
was told his mother and three siblings had died of Aids and
added: "From my perspective, there was no one looking after
David's welfare."