Message From Clonakilty: Don’t Deport the Agbonlahor Family

international | racism & migration related issues | news report

Tuesday October 18, 2005 12:13

by Miriam Cotton

miriamcotton at eircom dot net

023 36815

Five year old twin boy with autism to be deported with his mother and sister

Olivia Agbonlahor and her twin children Melissa and Great were whisked from their home in Clonakilty at 7.20am this morning for deportation from Dublin to Nigeria this evening. Following an appeal from Denis O Donovan TD in Bantry, Justice Minister Michael McDowell has said this morning that no deportation will take place until he has personally reviewed the file.

Neighbours and friends in Clonakilty, where the family are well liked, are deeply upset by this development and are doing everything possible to get this decision reversed.

Of particular concern is Olivia’s son Great who has an autistic spectrum disorder. Great was due to have a vital assessment from the SHB shortly and thereafter a programme of therapeutic interventions from CoAction West Cork, which he desperately needs to help him socially and educationally. None of this will be available to him if he is deported to Nigeria. ‘This is very significant for the family’ Town Councillor Cionnaith O Suilleabhain (SF) said last night before anyone realised that a dawn swoop on the Agbonlahors was already planned. 'Without support for Great he will be condemned to a very bleak future and his mother will be prevented from earning a living for her family without the schooling and other care facilities that would be available to her in Ireland.’

Olivia Agbonlahor arrived in Ireland from Italy in 2003. Her husband, who is a journalist and author, persuaded her to take this step following death threats he and his wife received after he wrote critically about a Nigerian drugs baron. Olivia’s husband is currently in hiding and it is difficult to believe the Irish government are actually considering placing this family in very real danger.

Clonakilty has recently seen an influx of young Polish people who have been welcomed into the community and are contributing positively to life here in West Cork. Olivia Agbonlahor, who has business and other training would very much like to be in a position to contribute too but her status as an asylum seeker has meant that she is unable to do so. What can the reason be for the apparent double standard? Taking all of the circumstances into consideration it is shaming that a wealthy country like Ireland, which in the very recent past was a net exporter of people in economic difficulties, should not now be willing to provide the same opportunities that were given to millions of Irish people in the US, UK, Australia and other countries all over the world.

Please register your support for a decision not to deport this young family - either by posting a comment here or by email to the Chairperson of the Agbonlahor Support Group, Garry O' Sullivan at [email protected]

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Comments (10 of 10)

Nationwide swoop?

Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:51

Since posting this story this morning news has arrived that there has been a nationwide swoop on asylum seekers over night. More details will be posted here as soon as possible.

http://www.residentsagainstracism.org/

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72159&search_text=residents%20against%20racism

pic of Great Agbonlahor

by .

Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:57

Olivia's case

by Emma-RAR

Tue Oct 18, 2005 13:19

Just heard that a stay has been put on Olivia'a case.
There is a definite deportation today so people get down to the gnib on burgh quay at 2pm.

News

by M Cotton

Tue Oct 18, 2005 13:30

Temporary good news for Olivia, Great and Melissa.

But it's not over for many other people. Resdidents against Racism representative Mark Grehan has said that ordinarily about 35 asylum seekers are 'rounded up' in swoops like these. Mark also says that there has been an increase in women seeking asylum who are fleeing female genital mutilation among other things.

Press release

by Residents Against Racism

residentsagainstracism at eircom dot net

12a Brunswick place, Dublin 2

087 7974622 or 087 6662060

Residents Against Racism's press release about the deportation currently in progress. There are many women due for deportation who have fled here fleeing gender based persecution such as FGM

http://www.residentsagainstracism.org/?p=51

Italy?

by curious

Tue Oct 18, 2005 14:47

this case makes no sense, why did the woman come to ireland from italy rather than claim asylum there, especially if that is where her husband is? can someone who knows the case explain?

Blockade at GNIB

by newshound

Tue Oct 18, 2005 16:51

There is a blockade of sorts happening at the GNIB offices on Burgh Quay. More news to follow.

Italy? Because ...

by DFG

Tue Oct 18, 2005 17:12

Olivia and her husband were living in Italy at the time that he wrote the article. It was there that the Nigerian drug barons came after them.

Clonakilty Deportation

by Emily Young - Athlone Families Together

Wed Oct 19, 2005 00:38

emilyyoung at eircom dot net

Carrickobrien Athlone Co Westmeath

0906475926

Congratulations to the Clonakilty group on their swift action against the deportation of the Agbonlahor Family. I fully support their response. There is absolutely no reason to resort to such an inhumane procedure against this family.

Emily Young

What a shame!

by Priye

Tue Aug 21, 2007 16:45

simepriye at yahoo dot com

South yorkshire. UK

After going through the facts of the case of the Agbonlahors and the situation Mrs Agbolahor finds herself in, as the circumstances are. She did well to save her two kids after running away from italy to Ireland only for the irish government to want to send her to nigeria, basically sending her to death. yes it is true that her asylum case has failed, but i thought asylum cases are viewed on the merit of each case, considering the different circumstances of the case, irrespective of where the applicant is from. She ran to ireland for safety, why then does the irish government want to send her to death? is it that the irish government does not know the situation of things in nigeria today?. i just want to say that unbehalf of the many little boy s in the UK and Ireland of Greats age, that the family should please be reconsidered to continue their lives where they are, or would it be pleasing to find out or read in the news later after a few years of their deportation that Great is dead or that something has happened to him as a result of the environment in nigeria and no medical treatement for his ailment? It will be good for this family to be given a chance for the poor woman(Ms Agbonlahor) to live here in peace with her two kids and be happy that they are alive and with her. This is the joy of a mum. Please, Great should be given another chance and not be put to the degrading treatment and the embarrassment that he will be put to back in nigeria. I thought in most cases the law directs its laws to suit humanity and tries not to go against natural justice, equity and good conscience? The entire masses are pleading that the irish government tries to make the growth and development and the progress Great is making in his one to one observation to be successful and without much upheavals.

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Message From Clonakilty: Don’t Deport the Agbonlahor Family

Comments (10 of 10)