231 The Burden of Foster Children in Nigeria: Deconstructing Their Existential Realities and the Will to Survive Doi: https://doi.org/10.31920/2634-3649/2021/v11n1a11 Ezebunwa E. Nwokocha Sociology Department, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Research Associate, School of Public management, Governance and Public Policy University of Johannesburg. miczeze@yahoo.com; +2348037192660 Turnwait O. Michael Department of Sociology Faculty of the Social Sciences University of Ibadan, Nigeria turnwaitmichael@gmail.com; +2348066846415 Damian Ukwandu School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy University of Johannesburg South Africa damianu@uj.ac.za; +27732264202 Abstract Child fosterage is one of the major manifestations of lack of capacity to cater for young family members in several societies of sub-Saharan Africa, which is reputed African Journal of Development Studies (AJDS) ISSN 2634-3614 E-ISSN 2634-3622 Formerly AFFRIKA: Journal of Politics, Economics and Society ISSN: 2634-3630 E-ISSN: 2634-3649 Indexed by IBSS, EBSCO, COPERNICUS, ProQuest, SABINET and J-Gate Volume 11, Number 1, March 2021 pp 231-249