A woman facing deportation to South Africa with her three sons has said she is “relieved” the family has been given more time to stay in Ireland.
Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi arrived in the State in late 2023 with Samuel, Joseph and Genesis, who are aged between five and 18.
She said she sought asylum after being beaten by a gang and threatened at gunpoint in South Africa. Their application was rejected and a subsequent appeal was unsuccessful.
The family received a deportation order last April. Their solicitor later applied for the order to be revoked on humanitarian grounds.
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Oyekanmi feared the family would be deported last week but has since been informed they can stay in the State until at least next month.
“I am relieved and hoping for a better result,” she said.
Oyekanmi said the family will have to present at the Garda National Immigration Bureau again next month. Beyond that, she said she is awaiting instructions from her solicitor.
Her three sons are attending schools and sports clubs in south Dublin. Members of the community have appealed to the Department of Justice not to proceed with the deportation, saying the family’s removal would be a huge loss to the area.
Hundreds of people, including many schoolchildren, attended a protest in solidarity with the family outside the department on February 10th.
Stephen Kirwan of KOD Lyons, the family’s solicitor, last week said the “groundswell of support is something like I’ve never seen before”.
“It’s heartening to see young people from across the community, here in Dublin in particular, standing up for a family.”
The two older boys are talented at sports and play rugby with De La Salle Palmerston FC. Joseph (14) is a member of Dundrum South Dublin (DSD) Athletics Club and has been attending Gonzaga College on a scholarship since September.
Athlete David Gillick, who has coached Joseph at DSD Athletics Club, is among those who have written to the Department of Justice in support of the family.
In his letter, the national men’s 400m record holder said Joseph has “remarkable athletic ability” and “has been an absolute joy to coach”.
“Beyond his athletic achievements, Joseph is an exceptional young person – full of life, ambition, and dreams. His talents extend beyond athletics, as he is already making an impact on the rugby field with Gonzaga College.
[ Arrests of deportees intensify overcrowding in Irish prisonsOpens in new window ]
“Joseph’s family has also made a wonderful contribution to both the local and wider community. They have integrated seamlessly and serve as shining examples of how successful and positive integration can be.”
Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Green Party deputy leader Hazel Chu are among the politicians who have asked Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to intervene in the case.
Oyekanmi, who is originally from Nigeria, said she fears for the lives of herself and her sons if they are sent back to South Africa.
