"Samuel, my first son, is preparing for his Leaving Cert. Taking him out in this stage of his life is going to affect his life, and his future, which makes me cry. He has been studying and working hard towards it, and I would be so glad if they can allow him to stay, focus, do his Leaving Cert and pass very well."
"I want my children to be happy, because we had to run away from threats to our lives in South Africa. We escaped kidnapping. That same boy that escaped that kidnapping, now they want to send him back to that same country. The xenophobic attacks are still going on in South Africa, I was born in Nigeria, gave birth to all my children in South Africa. South Africa are not supporting me, my life, my children's lives, and my children have already settled in Ireland. They are doing very well sports-wise and education-wise."
Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi and her three sons arrived in Ireland in 2023 and received a deportation order after their asylum application was rejected. Appeals on their case have been rejected by the Department of Justice. The family were moved from an IPAS centre in Sandyford to a one-bedroom in Castleknock ahead of a planned deportation on 12 February. South Africa is deemed a safe country of origin by the Department of Justice, but Oyekanmi reports xenophobic threats and a prior kidnapping attempt there. Oyekanmi completed QQI Level 5 in healthcare and planned to work as a care assistant in Ireland. Her eldest son is preparing for the Leaving Cert and the family say deportation would disrupt their lives, schooling and safety.
Read at Irish Independent
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